Subject to Change
by Zentauria
Summary: It all started with a raccoon tearing up the mental ward of Corona Castle. Well, that, and with the fact that I made the mistake of chasing it. I really should have left that to the guards. Maybe I would have been able to say no to helping the owner get back on track. Then again, I probably wouldn't have. I guess I'm just too nice for my own good...
1. Raccoon Trouble

**Alright, first off, this chapter features**** a transgender person****. If you have a problem with that... well, you better turn away now.**

**Second,**** because of the setting,**** views will be expressed that I _do not_ agree with, but I tried to be as positive as possible, so I hope it's not triggery to any transgender person who might come across this. If it is, I apologize and hope for advice. Because you're all valid and I'll be the last one to claim otherwise. :)**

**With that out of the way, let's get started! The rest of the A/N will be at the bottom!**

* * *

I must have been fourteen or fifteen when it started. I don't quite remember, and I don't really care. Time becomes meaningless when you're stuck inside the castle walls for as long as I'd been.

Life in the mental ward of Corona wasn't _bad_, mind you. I was eight when the strange thoughts started, nine when I told my best friend and we were overheard by her parents. I wouldn't have chosen the ward, not at the time. Those strange thoughts weren't dangerous. In fact, they stopped immediately when I actually tried to listen to them. I knew they were _there_, lurking around the edges of my mind. To be heard only when I was half-conscious, and forgotten when I wasn't.

It was scary at times, but it didn't demand chaining me up like some of my fellows. I was free to roam the ward and talk to whoever I pleased so long as I didn't leave, and I was smart enough not to ask for sharp objects. Mom would have been disappointed to learn how quickly I forgot how to sew, but I could deal with that.

I found a place for myself. I made friends with the nurses, the guards and whoever was lucid enough to have a conversation with. Not everyone liked me, but that was fine. I helped where I could, and I would have been content growing up in the ward. The most exciting thing I looked forward to was the day the strange thoughts would disappear and I could become a nurse.

Naturally, a war was all the way down on the list of things I wanted to happen.

* * *

"Thank you, Kai."

"No problem," I said, tying off the bandage with a sigh. "That bite looked pretty nasty."

"I'll say! That beast aimed for my finger, I'm telling you!"

I couldn't help chuckling. Austin was one of the younger guards, and he tended to be overly dramatic. He was also a real cutie, with warm brown eyes and a strawberry blond crew cut currently hid underneath his helmet. He had the build of an asparagus and the goatee he wanted to grow refused to do so, but I didn't mind. He was my best friend.

I winked at him, gathered my supplies and returned them to the medicine cabinet. The sight of the empty spaces on the shelves dampened my spirits considerably and I bared my teeth. "Curse that alchemist! I hope those beasts don't carry any diseases. We haven't been so low on disinfectant since..." I hissed and slammed the cabinet shut. I couldn't come up with a good comparison. "Since forever!"

"You know, I think it's always the same animal," Austin offered. It was probably supposed to cheer me up, but I was in no mood for that.

"Great. A lone, aggressive rat. That's not concerning at all. Why doesn't anyone shoot it? Or lay out some poison?"

"We tried. But..." Austin blinked and turned away, his face reddening. I placed my hands on my hips and furrowed my brows.

"Don't tell me the whole guard is being outsmarted by a single critter."

"Then I won't."

He didn't continue, and I huffed. Before I could decide whether or not there was any point in having another go at the soldier (or if I could possibly make it believable), I heard a commotion in the hallway. People were yelling, a door slammed, and I was glad there was nothing in this part of the castle that would break.

Except in this room. Before I could stop him, Austin had jumped off the cot to join the fray... and opened the door.

A flash of gray whizzed through the crack. Austin tried to step in its way, but it was too fast. A scream tore from my throat and I rushed to protect the herbs and potions strewn out on a table. As the rat scrambled up a table leg, I managed to catch hold of it for a heartbeat. It snapped at my hand and slipped away, then it was on the tabletop and I couldn't do anything more. I would have done more damage trying to catch the rat than the rat itself ever could.

And then I realized it was no rat at all. The tail was too bushy, with a ring pattern, and its face was all fluffed up rather than pointy. I've never seen that kind of animal before.

"What's this?!" I yelled, then remembered that I didn't care as the animal snatched a ribwort potion. "Oh no, you won't!"

At least its jaw was busy. Austin had closed the door by then, and together we managed to corner the animal. Since Austin was injured already, I did the honors of picking it up and trying to ignore the burning scratches it gave me.

"What _is_ this?"

"It's a raccoon," Austin replied, forehead wrinkled. "What's a raccoon doing in the castle?"

"Stealing our medicine, obviously," I grumbled. "And attacking the guard. We should get rid of it."

Even with its jaw clenched around a tube of ribwort tincture, the raccoon chittered in outrage. I curled my lips. "Hmm, it really does seem smart." I shifted the creature until I looked into its eyes. It was actually kinda cute, and I realized I didn't want it killed. "Lookie here, mister! Or miss! We need that medicine. And you're a critter, so you don't. Go back to where you came from! Next time I catch you, I'll toss you in the moat!"

"Uh..." Austin caught my attention. "The castle doesn't have a moat."

"Don't tell the raccoon, Austin!" I pouted. "Now, would you open the door for me? We have an animal to throw out."

"It'll keep coming baa-ack..." Austin singsonged quietly, and I sent him a glare.

"Let's hope it doesn't."

He shrugged and opened the door. I tightened my grip on the animal, expecting an escape attempt, but nothing happened. That is, until I carried it past the confusion in the hallway and relaxed. Then it dropped the tube and bit my thumb. The tube burst, I cried out, and the raccoon ran back the way we came. So I cursed loudly and gave chase, yelling for help.

Of course, that only made it worse. The chaos hadn't cleared yet, and everyone tripped over each other – the guards, the nurses, the occasional patient. The raccoon, on the other hand, slipped between legs, out from under fingers and even up some coats and tunics. I crashed into someone and took off shouting an apology without even knowing who it was. I was lucky that I was the youngest, and never particularly tall. I wasn't a raccoon, but I was still the most slippery among its chasers.

I was so focused on catching it that I didn't even realize where it was headed. It only stopped in front of a door way down the corridor and started pacing. I figured that, for some reason, it wouldn't go any further, so I took a moment to catch my breath and check my surroundings. And suddenly, I wished I had left the chasing to someone else.

The part of the mental ward I found myself in was the entrance to the locked section. It held the patients who were actually dangerous, those without control or at least no interest in trying. Criminals, oftentimes. That door was a reminder of why the rest of us was here – to prevent us from becoming like them.

I called it _The Door_.

I didn't care about the scratches or the broken ribwort potion anymore. I only wanted to get away, so I picked up the raccoon and turned around. It chirped pitifully, but I didn't let go.

"No, little one. You don't want to go in there, believe me. It's not pretty."

"Kai!"

I looked up to spot Arthur, another guard easily recognizable by his black sideburns and rather unguardy belly. He huffed and puffed as he walked up to me, trying and failing an imposing stride. He opened his mouth to say something, but I quickly forestalled him: "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be here! I was just chasing this raccoon and somehow ended up here."

Arthur smiled indulgently. "I know. Good job!" His eyes narrowed as he studied the creature dangling between my hands.

"What is it?"

"I think I've seen this fellow before."

"What?" I could tell he wasn't talking about the recent scratches and bites, so I waited with bated breath. Could this critter really'd been up to something?

Arthur lifted his gaze from the raccoon to me. I could almost see his mind racing behind the wrinkles on his forehead. "Tell me, Kai, have you ever been in this tract?"

"Do I really look _that_ suicidal to you?! I have no reason to go in there!"

Arthur nodded solemnly. "You have now."

I almost dropped the raccoon. "What?!" I screeched. "No, I don't! It's dangerous, and I'm not a trained guard like you! If someone attacks me–!"

"No one will attack you. But..." Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've talked to Maurina. We wanted to tell you next week, but we've agreed that you're our best bet."

"For what?" Needless to say that my curiosity was piqued. Maurina was basically the Head Nurse, I didn't know what else to call her. She took care of the most difficult patients, but that did not include me. What was going on?

Arthur seemed to be steeling himself for a tough decision. "You see, Kai... There's a child behind these doors. A boy your age. I won't tell you what he did to end up here, but you can rest assured that Princess Rapunzel herself is very concerned with his recovery."

"Princess Rapunzel?" I couldn't believe my ears. The princess visited the ward a couple times since her return to Corona. The first time she came with a squadron of guards trailing her and seemed more concerned with getting rid of them than anything. And even though she'd been prone to insensitivities, she was friendly and honestly curious. Something of a disturbance, but hard to hate. And from the second time on... Whoo, boy. She kept sneaking in with only the Captain's daughter in tow and emptying half the ward with her awesome exorcism skills. I had no idea how she did it, but she had a way with ghosts.

Not with mine, though. She really wanted to help me, I felt it. But she needed to know what the spirit possessing me wanted, and I couldn't tell her.

I shook off the lingering disappointment and peeked over my shoulder at _The Door_. It was the same block of metal it had been before and didn't lose any of its menace. And yet... I was inspired. A teeny tiny bit. If I could be Princess Rapunzel for someone, I'd go for it.

One problem, though: I wasn't _her._

"Do you really think I can help him? You know I'm not quite normal myself. What if I attack him? What if he attacks _me?_"

"He won't, and I'm certain that you won't, either. And I'll be with you if anything goes wrong."

I wondered if I could work with that. I wanted to help this mysterious boy. And so did the princess, apparently, and I could hardly deny Her Helpful Highness. Still, I hated that door. "But why me? Why not another child our age?"

"Because you know what it's like around here. And..." He trailed off. I tilted my head expectantly, but Arthur didn't elaborate. "Never mind. There's another reason, and you'll find out. If you're willing."

I glanced at _The Door_ another time. In my mind, it grew teeth that would maul me and swallow me whole if I went anywhere near it. But there was a raccoon desperately trying to get in there, and I remembered my dream of becoming a nurse here myself. I would have to deal with these people. Now was as good a time as any to test if I was up to it.

I sighed. "Alright then. Never let it be said that a critter is braver than me." I shifted the raccoon in my arms to make both of us more comfortable and looked into Arthur's eyes. "What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to him."

I was so sure I'd get some more instructions that I waited a few seconds. Then my jaw fell. "That's it?"

Arthur chuckled mirthlessly. "Trust me, that's hard enough."

"Okay then."

He sorted through his keys, unfastened one from the ring and held it out for me. Just another surprise. "Wait. You mean, we're going in _now?_ I need to bring this raccoon outside and..."

"Kai, you need this raccoon right here. It'll help you get through to the boy, and unless you believe you can catch it again, I'm afraid it's now or never."

Oh no... I was not ready for this! I thought I would have some time to prepare myself! But this raccoon decided to show up at _juuuust_ the wrong moment. Then again, I figured it would always be just the wrong moment for _The Door_.

I glowered at the animal and jabbed a finger at its snout. "I. Hate. You. Don't you forget it!"

The raccoon responded by jumping off my arms and scratching at the door. I shook my head in disbelief and turned back to Arthur. "You said you'd be right behind me. What do I need a key for?"

"I'll be there, but I'd prefer not to be seen. It would be better to pretend that you came of your own volition. Oh, and Kai? Whatever you do, _do not_ mention the princess."

I had no idea what 'volition' meant or what exactly the princess did to warrant non-existence, but I got the gist. Why Arthur assumed that I'd be able to fool anyone I didn't quite understand, but I shrugged and grabbed the key. "So I'll open the cell and all. What if he steals the key?"

"He's smarter than that."

Now _that_ made even less sense, but since I made up my mind, I really just wanted to get it over with. "Very well. But don't blame me once everything goes sideways."

"_If _anything goes sideways, Kai. Where's your optimism?"

"Somewhere upstairs in the safety of my room. Certainly not behind this door."

"Fair enough."

With a grim smile, Arthur pushed his key into the door, and I felt my heart speed up.

"Wait!"

"Hmm?"

I took a deep breath, and suddenly I wanted to crawl under a stone and hide. I felt like an idiot. Why would I be such a coward?! "Uh... Which cell does this key belong to, anyway?"

Arthur smiled mischievously and pointed at the raccoon scratching at the door with increasing ferocity. "That little fella knows."

Very true. _The Door_ swung open and the raccoon took off like an arrow from a string. I groaned and gave chase once again, grateful for the excuse not to look too closely at my surroundings. It wasn't a dungeon, not the way I imagined one at least. It wasn't dark, it wasn't wet, it smelled okay, and that was all I needed to know.

I caught up with the raccoon soon enough. It was pacing once again, then started running circles around my legs as I stared at the door it singled out. Trying to work up the nerve to open the thing, I glanced at Arthur a few feet away and took a deep breath. And another. And another. My heart refused to stop racing. Also, as I fidgeted with the key, I noticed a major flaw in Arthur's logic.

"Umm... You want me to pretend that no one sent me, right? How do I explain the key?"

Arthur pursed his lips. "The raccoon stole it."

I narrowed my eyes at Arthur. I tried to determine if he was joking, but it didn't seem like it. "What? You really think that would fly?"

Arthur simply looked at me, his expression all seriousness. "It did. A few days ago, it stole Robert's keys. He's still missing them."

"No way!"

I couldn't help staring at the raccoon with admiration. The animal itself, however, didn't care. And why would it, really? It was growing more impatient by the second and made to clamber up my tunic. I was pretty certain what it was going for, so I shooed it away and took yet another breath, determined not to let it go before I'd opened this stupid door.

I almost suffocated before the heavy metal creaked open. "I can't believe I'm doing this," I complained under my breath, followed my animal leader and finally found myself inside the cell. It wasn't all that different from my room, being furnished with a cot and a washbasin, but it also contained a bucket which I ignored to the best of my abilities. (I liked my table.)

The boy I came for sat on the cot, knees up and ignoring _me_ to the best of his abilities. His posture only relaxed a little when the raccoon started chirping happily and tried to find a way up the cot. The lack of bed posts appeared to be a serious obstacle, but the boy leaned down to pick up the critter. I guessed it must have been his pet.

The loyal little fellow was up the boy's shoulder in a heartbeat and started burrowing through his hair, chittering excitedly. If asked, I would have claimed that the boy was happy enough with the company, but the truth was that I couldn't tell. He didn't deign to look at me, and the barred window behind him didn't help matters. I needed to find a better angle, but my feet were glued to the floor.

_Talk to him_, Arthur had said. But about what?

"I guess I found what the raccoon was looking for."

No response.

"He seems to like you very much. Or she. Messed up the whole guard to get here."

I like to think that the following sound was a suppressed snicker, but I'm afraid it was just the raccoon.

"You don't talk much, do you?"

Silence. Even the raccoon stopped chirping, probably dragged down by the mood of its master.

"I'll take that as a 'Get lost.' I'd be happy to give you some space, believe me. God knows I needed it when I was hauled to this place. But I'm afraid I need to take your companion with me."

Before I could change my mind, I stepped towards the boy. The bold move finally got a reaction out of him – he jumped off the cot and planted himself in front of the window, making me squint against the sunlight. I gave him that: He knew what he was doing.

I crossed my arms and puffed up my cheeks. "I'd ask if you have some practice as a villain, but you probably won't answer anyway. Besides..." I pointed at the silhouette of the raccoon perched atop his narrow shoulders. "Your friend kinda ruins the effect."

"Shut up!" the boy growled. His hand slid down his waist with a clinking sound, then he was hissing. And that told me several things:

One, he could talk.

Two, his voice was raspy. He could probably use a cup of water.

Three, his wrists were chained. Possibly more.

Four, he was used to carrying something. A weapon, perhaps.

Five, having no pockets sucks big time. But I knew that. I wore the same clothes after all.

I wasn't sure what to address first, or if I should address anything at all. Maybe it was better to back down for now.

An idea formed in my head. I heaved a sigh and relaxed my posture. "I can tell I'm not welcome. Very well, I'll go. But animals are not allowed inside the ward, especially those that tear people apart. So I advise you to keep your friend hidden. And..." I turned on my heel, the door promising sweet release from this awkward situation. "Whatever it is that landed you here, I hope you can overcome it. See you around, Raccoon Boy."

He didn't try to stop me, and I was so relieved to lock the door from the _outside_ that I had to pause for a moment and recover. Thoughts that weren't mine invaded my mind. I couldn't tell for how long I stood there before I managed to snap myself out of it and glance at Arthur. He motioned for me to follow him and we left the wing together, minus one raccoon. Only after _The Door_ shut, he asked, "How did it go?"

I shrugged. "You were right. Talking to him was a problem. I don't even know his name or what he looks like, only that he's kinda lanky. He has a knack for staying in the shadows." I rubbed the back of my neck. Raccoon Boy definitely gave me some things to think about. "I didn't even need the key excuse... I got him to tell me to shut up, though. Does that count as a success?"

Arthur laughed heartily. "I'm sure it does!"

I joined in his laughter, hesitant at first but feeling lighter by the second. "Any idea why he doesn't speak, though?"

Arthur abruptly stopped laughing and his face scrunched up into a thoughtful frown. "That's what we're trying to find out. But I suppose it has to do with his viewing every one of us as his enemy."

"Hmm..." That actually made a lot of sense. "Wouldn't be the first time." It wasn't unusual for new patients to show up with an arguably healthy portion of distrust. I imagined that applied the most to those behind _The Door_. "What did he do to get stuck with the criminals?"

"I told you I won't say."

I shrugged. "Worth a try. So, when will you?"

"Never, if we're lucky. He will."

I groaned in frustration. Why did everyone have to be so secretive? "What's his name, then?"

At that, Arthur eyed me all serious and said, "Ask him."

I facepalmed. I absolutely had no words for this. "Are you sure _I'm_ the nutcase?"

Arthur burst into laughter again and slapped my back. "We're counting on you, Kai!"

"Right, counting on me. The ward baby with the invading thoughts." I stretched my arms above my head. Which turned out to be a terrible idea when pain flashed down to my shoulders, making me hiss. "Ow... Did I mention I hate that raccoon?"

"At least you're not bleeding."

I checked my arms and sighed. "True. I'll go find something to treat the cuts, and you..." I glanced at Arthur. "I'm sure you have guard duties."

"I do." He smiled into his beard. "Good luck, Kai."

I chuckled darkly. "I'm going to need that. But good luck to you, too."

I waved, or at least tried to. It would be more accurate to say I winced, so as soon as Arthur was out of sight, I marched back to the infirmary. While I smeared some ointment on the scratches, I wondered idly if someone cleaned up the ribwort. "How weird that a raccoon would steal a glass tube instead of food... Oh well, it's locked away now."

"Talking to ourselves again, are we?"

Oh Lord, please, no. Not _now!_ "Hi, Theo."

"It's Thea, Kailyn."

I suppressed the urge to groan. Theo was here because he was possessed by a female spirit. He always hiked up his tunic with a belt to make it look more like a dress, moaned about how he wanted to grow out his hair and insisted we call him Thea. On the flipside, he also insisted to call me by my complete name. Said I should be happy to be born a girl and not conceal the fact with a male nickname.

Never mind that I wasn't concealing anything. I simply didn't like my name very much.

All things considered, it was nothing I couldn't deal with. However, I needed some alone time. "Alright, Thea. Look, I'm sorry, but I just chased a raccoon all over the place. I could use a break. Do you need anything?"

"Oh, ah... No." He flushed the color of purple cabbage. "I was just looking for Nurse Celia. Do you know where she is?"

"Sadly no. But I bet you'll find her if you keep looking."

He nodded and walked off. I wasn't sure what to make of him. It seemed like he had a crush on Nurse Celia, but that didn't really fit with being female. Unless it did?

I shrugged it off. You learn to deal with a lot of weirdness when growing up in a mental ward. Moving on, I put the ointment away and left for my room. I ran into Austin on the way, who grinned and gave a salute. I gladly returned the gesture, noting with relief that his hand was fine.

When I finally entered my room, just about ready to crash on my cot, something caught my eye – glinting in the sunlight, a key lay on my table. I examined it and realized soon enough that it belonged to _The Door_. I reached into my sleeve to get the one to Raccoon Boys cell, but I only grabbed at air.

There was no key.

* * *

**Alright, I started this... over a year ago. I wasn't going to post it at first because I wrote it for various reasons not pertaining to postability, though the most prominent among them was that I had no idea where to go with it. It was mostly a reaction to Rapunzel's request for Varian to not be hurt, and King Frederick promising that he would do his best to get him help. I refused to accept the general consensus that he'd be unceremoniously thrown into prison, but after a while, I simply ran out and pretty much forgot about it.**

**However, after I watched the first episode of Season 3, I was like: "Hey, didn't I write something? I actually have an idea where to go with it now!"  
Of course, it has that air of a Foregone Conclusion to it now, but I still believe there's a tale worth telling in there. That complete one-eighty from "I'm the Bad Guy, that's fine / It's no fault of mine" to "It's not what they did to _me_ \- it's what I did to _them_" has to come from _somewhere_ after all. I hope we get some canon flashbacks, but for now I'll just... turn to fanfiction. Because that's what it's for, right?**


	2. A Patient Of My Own

In a moment of panic, I patted myself down like a madwoman. Still no key. Did Raccoon Boy take it after all?!

Wait, no. I locked the door, I clearly remembered that. Unless those strange thoughts could fake memories, but that wasn't all that likely. They were just distracting.

Wait... I left the key stuck in the lock!

I hammered my forehead with a fist. "Gosh, I'm so stupid!"

My cozy blanket had to wait, then. And if I went down there anyway, I figured I might as well prepare. So I raided my secret candy stash behind the washbasin.

It actually wasn't allowed to store food anywhere inside the ward. Like everything else, it was strictly regulated, but Austin occasionally smuggled sweets from Uncle Monty's for me. There wasn't much left from the last delivery – only two lollipops, a couple chocolate-coated raisins and some nuts. Austin _always _brought nuts. It was that sense of humor of his, but I wasn't complaining. Nuts were my weakness, and I wasn't looking forward to sharing them. So I decided to be selfish and stuffed some hazelnuts into my mouth as comfort food before fixing the candy bag to my waistband, underneath the tunic. The key joined it soon enough, and five minutes later I found myself in front of _The Door _again.

"Alright, Kai. You can do this. Aaaand I _am_ talking to myself..."

The lock clicked and I pushed open _The Door_. Like last time, I tried not to look around too much and fixed my gaze on the general area I needed to go.

I guess it was lucky that I'd forgotten the key. The doors looked all the same, and I never would have recognized Raccoon Boy's cell had the little thing not poked out of the lock.

Anticipation flowed through my veins, and I turned the key with a little more force than I had to. It was silly – Raccoon Boy was chained up. He didn't attack me before, and he wasn't going to do it now. The worst that could happen was another rejection, and I'd totally survive that!

The door creaked open and I slipped inside with new courage... only to be ambushed by a spirited animal trying to scramble up my leg.

"Rudiger!" Raccoon Boy cried, probably as startled as I was. However, I was too busy dodging his pet to pay him much heed.

"Wowowowow! No critters up my modesty!"

I grabbed the animal by the scruff of its neck. It squeaked in protest, but I was determined not to fall victim to its cuteness. I had ambitions this time!

I strode over to Raccoon Boy and dropped the critter into his arms. He must have been resting when I came in. He was sitting up, but the mess on his head looked suspiciously like bed hair.

He didn't bother fixing it. Heck, I wasn't even sure he _could!_ Now that I finally got a good look at him, I could see the chains binding his wrists to his ankles. Judging from their lengths, their purpose seemed to be weight rather than outright restriction, but I was glad not to be in them anyway. (Seriously, who wouldn't?)

After I was certain that the raccoon was secure in his master's arms, I backed away and busied myself with untying the candy bag from my belt. Without making eye contact, I tossed a walnut at Raccoon Boy and sat on the floor. I could tell without looking that it worked – it didn't take more than the crunching sounds of a nut being nibbled away on by an eager rodent.

"You want something, too?" I offered as casually as I could with my heart in my mouth. "I'm afraid the choices aren't exactly plentiful, since I'm technically breaking the rules, but y'know... No sweets, no life."

The raccoon entered my vision, chirping commandingly. I giggled and pushed another piece of walnut into its paws, honestly amused. It was really cute! I couldn't help myself, I needed to pet it!

"Aren't you a fluffy little guy! What did your friend call you? Rudiger?"

A rattle of chains, and suddenly the raccoon was ripped from in front of me. "Enough! What do you want?!"

My head snapped up without my permission, and I was greeted with an impressive scowl. However, Raccoon Boy's eye color was a little distracting – a shade of pale blue which I found somewhat eerie. I figured it must have been the light. Even Raccoon Boy's hair looked all odd-colored, black streaked with... blue?

Totally the light.

I was snapped out of my observations by a squeak courtesy of Rudiger and remembered that there was a question to be answered. Even if the process of asking hadn't been the friendliest.

"I don't want anything. Unless you count keeping a certain critter fed to prevent another instance of _this!_" I pushed up my sleeve, baring the bright red scratches on my arm. "I believe it's a good enough reason. And I came off lightly. One of the guards nearly got his finger bitten off."

"Should have worn gauntlets."

"Dude! Cold!"

Raccoon Boy huffed, and that was the end of it. I sighed and relaxed my shoulders. I didn't remember them tensing, but the way Raccoon Boy scoffed at my friend's injury really didn't sit well with me. Still, a part of me understood his hostility. And I was confident that things would work out.

"Oh well, he was probably exaggerating anyway. He's really into drama."

I dug through my sweets bag and got hold of one of the lollipops. I tossed it at Raccoon Boy, who promptly dropped Rudiger in shock. His reflexes were surprisingly swift, though. Completely spiting the chains, he plucked the small piece of candy from midair... and then it slipped out of his grip, which I found a lot funnier than I should have.

I pressed a hand to my mouth to hold back laughter, but it only worked for a second or two. Raccoon Boy refused to utter a single word, but the look on his face said it all.

"I'm sorry," I forced out, hoping to stem the flow of giggles that way. "I shouldn't be laughing. It's not fair."

I deliberately avoided talking about the chains directly, but Raccoon Boy seemed to catch my meaning anyway. An uncomfortable silence ensued, and I eventually found myself drumming my fingers on my crossed legs.

I fished the second lollipop out of my bag, simply to do something worthwhile. It was raspberry-flavored – my favorite, but I couldn't quite enjoy it. I also took out the raisins, then turned the bag inside out. Walnuts, peanuts and hazelnuts tumbled to the floor, and Rudiger was back before I had time to blink.

"Well, at least _someone_ appreciates my sacrifice," I mumbled around the hunk of sugar barricading my tongue and let the chocolate raisins roll back into the newly emptied bag. "By the way, you can have some of these, too. If you want. They're a little stale, though."

Raccoon Boy wordlessly reached out a hand, which caught me off-guard. I didn't expect to be taken up on the offer, not after all the passive aggressiveness. But I shrugged and poured half the raisins into Raccoon Boy's palm. The following silence was more or less comfortable, probably because it didn't stem from the awkwardness of one-sided conversation for once. Raccoon Boy seemed content enough snacking on the raisins. I could almost pretend...

"Thank you."

Good thing I was sitting already. I might as well have keeled over from shock. Where was the venom all of a sudden?! I couldn't detect so much as a _hint_ of bitterness in Raccoon Boy's voice!

I pulled the lollipop from my mouth. "Uh, sure. No problem. Do you like chocolate raisins?"

Raccoon Boy's brows knitted. He picked up his lollipop and sucked on it, apparently lost in thought. A few seconds passed, and just when I was sure we were back to the silent treatment, a loud plop heralded the answer: "Ill-considered query. It's based on the assumption I had chocolate raisins before and developed a taste for them, which is inaccurate. So the question should have been about whether or not I liked your chocolate raisins, past tense. Which is still tricky to answer. They were certainly not unpleasant, but I probably wouldn't make a habit of eating them."

That was the point where I wondered if coaxing words from Raccoon Boy had been such a wise decision. "What the heck are you _babbling_ about? Did you choke on a word book or something?"

I earned myself a death glare for the question. He probably just remembered that he hated me. "Oh, you don't like my language. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't speak _moron_."

"Well, excuse me, Mister Expert!" I grabbed my candy bag, stood up and scraped together some of the fanciest words I knew. "Since I'm obviously unworthy of your glorious presence, I will not disturb you any longer and intrude upon a moron of my standing. Good day!"

Ignoring Rudiger's pleading chirps, I slammed the door (at least symbolically, since it was too heavy to slam) and stomped towards my room, _with_ the key this time. Only after I threw myself onto my cot did the anger subside, and I realized I overreacted. I probably should have waited before visiting Raccoon Boy for the second time. Waited until I recovered from the first.

"I _am_ a moron..."

I finished my lollipop and hid the stick behind the washbasin with the remaining chocolate raisins.

This day officially _sucked_.

* * *

I woke up in the middle of the night. I tried to go back to sleep, but it was no use. I went to bed way too early, and now I was wide awake.

For a while, I simply lay there, eyes closed and reviewing the day. I'm not one to mind surprises, but this? Well, a patient of my own was something I could have done without. I wasn't ready. No one ever told me how to deal with this kind of thing!

I needed to talk to Head Nurse Maurina and fast. This was a terrible idea!

Then again, Raccoon Boy was the only person around who was both my age _and_ coherent. Or at least as coherent as someone with an academese addiction could be. I wasn't going to give up on him. Besides, if Arthur was saying what I thought he was saying, Raccoon Boy hadn't talked to anyone.

Anyone but _me_. How could I ever shirk _that_ responsibility?

Or maybe I was simply too nice for my own good. I pushed back the blanket and swung my legs out of bed. I didn't bother with changing out of my nightgown, I had stuff to do. I snuck along the torch-lit hallway until I came across Dominick, with his helmet askew and half asleep on his spear. He wasn't my first choice, but I could keep looking for Austin until doomsday. He'd never been on the night guard, and probably never would.

"Hey! Wake up, Dominick!"

"Hmm?" Dominick blinked owlishly, then his eyes widened. "Kailyn!" he whisper-yelled. "What are you doing here? It's hours past curfew!"

I folded my hands and gave him my best puppy eyes. "I know, I'm sorry! But I need to write a letter! Can you give me some paper and a quill?"

"But mail day is..."

"Next week, yes! But it's not for my family. I upset someone today, from here, and I want to make it right. Please?"

Dominick raised a brow at me. "Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"No! By tomorrow I would've thought about it too hard, and I won't be crazy enough to do it!"

He yawned. "Sounds like a sure sign you shouldn't be writing it now."

"That's kind of an argument," I admitted, but my mind was made. I crossed my arms. "I'll tell Arthur you're sleeping on the job."

Dominick pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "You know what we call that? Blackmail."

"Please?"

"No, Kailyn. Go back to your room."

I glared at Dominick, but he was unmovable. His dad must have been a rock or something.

I had no choice but to back down. We both knew I wouldn't make good on my threat, and even if I did, it wouldn't happen without me confessing I'd been out past curfew.

"Hmph. Fine!"

Adults! Always against you! I wanted to throw something, but pulling off my slippers was too much effort. I had to make do with screaming into my pillow and coming up with a different solution. Which was either waiting for tomorrow (boring) or going downstairs, waking Raccoon Boy and apologizing in person (explosive).

I decided on the former and pulled the blanket over my head. I hadn't been this irritated since I learned that I was going to be an aunt and couldn't be there for my sister. That was a year prior.

I thought I accepted it. I thought I was okay with the restrictions, that I'd carved out my niche. But every now and again, the rules did chafe. Waiting for time to pass didn't compare to missing my nephew's birth, but it stirred something in me I successfully repressed most of the time.

A longing for freedom.

* * *

I slept fitfully. Between wondering how my family was faring, what to do about Raccoon Boy and who was to blame for this mess, the night was anything but restful. Buried under my pillow, I didn't even notice the sun rising until Austin stormed in. "Kai! Kai?"

I grumbled into the mattress. Austin ignored the unspoken warning and ripped the pillow from my head. "Are you okay?"

"Ask Dominick," I grumbled under my breath, then realized I was being unfair and rolled around to face my friend. "I'm fine. Just tired and hungry. I slept right through dinner yesterday; let me have some breakfast and I'll be good." I could tell that it did nothing to assure him, so I donned a smile and sat up. Next try. "Thank you for checking on me, but you don't need to worry. I was just..." I drew up my knees and cupped my chin in my hand. "I was just thinking about my family. With all these weird news of magical rocks destroying Old Corona, and then this war... What kind of monster would kidnap Her Majesty? And now Princess Rapunzel has gone to who-knows-where!" I caught myself waving my arms furiously and stilled them by hugging my knees. "Anyway, I can't wait for mail day. I hope I hear from them."

Austin's gaze was gentle. He sat next to me, removed his helmet and put an arm around my shoulders. I leaned into his side. His armor wasn't exactly comfortable, but I didn't care. I was just glad he was with me.

"I'm sure your family is fine. Chances are they don't even know about the black rocks. They only..."

"Grew in a straight line between Old Corona and the Capital, and Goldfeuer isn't on it. I know. I still want to see them." I ran a hand through my hair. "But I can't ask them to leave my sister and nephew behind. Kili is not old enough to travel and..." I closed my eyes and massaged my temples. I didn't want to cry. "It's hopeless."

I could feel Austin's hand rubbing my arm. "Don't think like that, Kai. Someday, those strange thoughts will be gone, and you'll go home to a family who loves you. And in the meantime, I'll keep you up to speed on Goldfeuer. Okay?"

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "Enough of me, then. How's _your_ family?"

Austin scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, they're fine. Nothing exciting has happened since my mom decided she wanted to slim down. Like, literally nothing."

I chuckled in spite of myself. I never met Austin's family, but he joked a lot about how astonished he was that they hadn't disowned him yet. It was family tradition to have at least three helpings of any meal, but Austin never got past two. His sister-in-law fitted the family better than he did.

"Why am I not surprised?"

Austin grinned. "Maybe there's some change next time I visit them. Biiig maybe."

"_Big_ maybe indeed."

Austin gave my head a playful push and ruffled my hair. "Hey, only the family is allowed to make fun of the family!"

"Oh, darn it! Now I owe you another marriage! How many marriages do I owe you by now?"

"About three dozens." Austin shrugged, a grin on his face. "I lost count."

"How irresponsible of you!"

We laughed together for a while, but I couldn't fend off the worry forever. It slowly trickled back in, and I found myself heaving a huge sigh. "Thank you, Austin. You're so sweet."

"No problem, Kai." He stood and put his helmet back on. "Come on. Nurse Maurina is looking for you."

"She is?" That warranted yet another sigh, and as if on cue, my stomach grumbled. "Aww, maaaan... Just a sec." I reached behind the washbasin. I barely took the time to offer Austin some raisins before stuffing my face with the last of them. It was far from filling, but at least it was _sugar_. "Alright, I'm ready!"

Austin raised an eyebrow. "No, you're not. I'm sure you have time to grab a sandwich before meeting up with the Head Nurse. Besides, you can't miss _breakfast_ as well."

I was going to argue, but my belly told me Maurina could wait. "Alright."

Austin walked me to the common room. Mealtimes were the only times when food and cutlery were inside the ward, and guards watched closely for any sign of trouble. Unnecessary most of the time, though I had no idea how meals were handled beyond _The Door_. I doubted that anyone would trust criminals and people who lost their minds with forks and knives.

I chose to handle neither and grabbed two sandwiches so I could stay with Austin. "So, where's Nurse Maurina?"

"In her office."

"Could have thought of that."

"Do you know why she wants to talk to you?"

"Uh..." An image of Raccoon Boy flashed through my mind, holding his animal friend protectively and glaring daggers. I always found the expression 'icy blue eyes' rather cheesy, but I couldn't help thinking how well it fitted his. "It's probably about that boy they assigned me."

"Wait..." A thoughtful frown spread on Austin's face, which slowly gave room to disbelief. "They assigned _you_ a _patient_?"

I giggled nervously. "Crazy, huh? Arthur refuses to tell me why, but maybe I'll get some answers from Mau–"

I figured I lost Austin halfway when I found myself crushed in a bear hug. I only _just_ saved the sandwiches from being crushed with me. "Congratulations, Kai!" Austin shouted a little too loudly for comfort, but at least I felt the floor under my feet again. "That's so exciting! You've gotta tell me _everything!_"

I chuckled awkwardly and looked away, trying to push a strand of too short hair behind my ear. "I don't know how much I'm allowed to tell you. I don't want to get into trouble on the second day."

"Right..." Austin curled his lips. He was not satisfied, and he tapped his chin, pondering. That is, until he stiffened. "Wait... A boy?"

"Yes?" I couldn't decide if I should lower my brows or raise them, and somehow ended up doing both. I did _not_ like this response. "What's wrong?"

"A boy? As in _a boy _boy?"

"Yes! What else do you think I mean with–"

Austin's hands landed on my shoulders. He was _so close_ to shaking me, I was sure. "Freckles?"

"Possibly? I didn't look for–"

"Blue hair?!"

"It really _is_ blue?! I thought I imagined that!"

"Kai! You can't see him!" Austin was positively panicking, and it was infectious. I could feel my heartbeat all the way up to my throat, making it hard to speak.

"Austin..."

"Do you have _any_ idea what he did?!"

"No. But–!"

"Kai, that kid is dangerous! He's–!"

"Private Austin!"

Austin whirled around at the new voice and saluted hastily. "Captain!"

The Captain? That was rare. I stepped to the side to get out of Austin's shadow and bowed my head. "Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, young lady," he replied, then turned back at Austin. "Private, a word."

Austin glanced at me, then nodded and followed the Captain around a corner. I was obviously not supposed to hear what was said, but that didn't stop me from scooting closer. What could a lanky boy in his early teens _possibly_ pull off that it had my friend in such a tizzy?

"Captain, you can't involve Kai in this! What if she gets hurt? Or worse?!"

"Austin, I can see you feel strongly about the girl's safety. But she might be our only shot at helping him."

"Why?"

A deep breath. "Because she doesn't know who he is. And because she can sympathize with his... state of mind. We won't find anyone as unbiased as her, and she's even his age."

"But she..."

"Kailyn!"

I choked on my sandwich. The conversation around the corner stopped abruptly. I put on a grin which I hoped looked at least _somewhat_ innocent and turned to face Nurse Maurina.

"Um... Hi?"

She pushed her glasses higher up her nose and stared at me with strict green eyes. "Were you eavesdropping on our esteemed Captain?"

"Uh... I... uh..." I slumped and stared at my slippers. "I'm sorry. I just... Austin was so worried, and..."

"You wanted to know what happened."

I nodded, face as hot as a volcano. It was one of those situations when I wished I was a better liar. Alas, I was the worst actress to ever grace the Kingdom of Corona.

"What did you hear?" The Captain popped up behind me, Austin in tow. I found out that I could feel even hotter than a volcano.

"Not much. Only that I'm apparently unbiased, whatever that means."

"It means you don't have a pre-formed opinion to cloud your judgment," Nurse Maurina explained. She glanced at Austin. "Or at least you shouldn't."

I followed her gaze. Austin was white as a sheet, but he kept silent.

Maurina cleared her throat. "Alright. Kailyn, Captain. Please follow me."

"What about me?" Austin asked, and Maurina turned to study him.

"I am very sorry, Private. But this is between the three of us."

While I was uncertainly swinging my gaze from left to right and back, the Captain placed a hand on Austin's shoulder. "We've got this. Please return to your post, Private Austin."

My friend nodded, resigned but obviously unhappy. I smiled at him, hopefully reassuring.

"Don't worry about me, Austin. I've visited the boy twice. He's not the most approachable, granted, but he didn't seem particularly interested in hurting me, either. Please listen to the Captain. We've got this!"

He still wasn't placated, but he seemed to admit defeat when he gave me a hug. "Take care."

"I will. Promise!"

"Then good luck." He pulled away and looked at me solemnly. "I guess."

I smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

**That moment when you worry you've written a raccoon OOC.**

**I think one of the coolest parts about Tangled is that the animals have distinct personalities. I just watched _Day of the Animals_, and you can almost hear them talk even though they don't. It's incredible! ****(And Rudiger is so funny! But my favorite is still Pascal. Pascal is awesome, and nothing will change my mind!)**

**Btw, Raccoons are not rodents. They're procyonids, which might just be the kind of word Varian would know. Plus, the German word is _Kleinbären_ ("little bears") and Tangled is a Germany AU, so it's even easier in-universe. /FunFacts**


	3. Games We Play

I followed Head Nurse Maurina and the Captain into one of the many parlors. This one was small, with only an armchair and a two-person sofa standing opposite each other.

Maurina motioned for the former. "Please, sit."

So I sat. On the edge of the armchair, but I sat. Maurina took the sofa, and the Captain preferred to stand.

"How are you feeling, Kailyn?" Maurina asked, eying me closely.

I gave her the honest answer: "Like an insect under a magnifying glass."

An amused smile tugged at Maurina's lips. Or maybe she was just being polite. "Is there something we can do to help you relax? Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No, thank you. I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible. And I'm sorry about eavesdropping, I was just... What am I getting myself into, exactly?"

Maurina took off her glasses. There was no tension in the movement, and I calmed a little. "Tell me what you know about the boy."

I shrugged. "Not much. What do you want to hear?"

"Anything will do."

"Okaaay..." I filed through the information I gathered from my visits and the various reactions people had to the idea of me working with Raccoon Boy. "Well... He has an interesting hair color, so there may be magic involved. Apart from that, he's locked away with the dangerous people, though he doesn't strike me as particularly so."

"Are you afraid of him?" Maurina asked, making me blink at her. What kind of question was _that?_

"No. I could take him on if it came down to it. And he likes animals; I'm sure that counts for _something_." I directed my gaze at the Captain. "I've also heard that the princess herself is very concerned for him. He can't be a bad person."

The Captain sighed and dropped into the sofa after all. "It's a very difficult situation. I know little about the young man. He used to be friends with my daughter, but he's changed. And now..." The Captain's face darkened. "I'm glad to hear you are not afraid, but I must advise you to exercise caution. He may not be a fighter, but his intellect is without parallel. And it's his intellect that makes him a capable opponent."

I cupped my chin, taking in all the new info. "So, you're basically saying he's super smart, and that's a weapon nothing short of drugging the stuffing out of him can strip him of." I jolted at my own words. "So... Are you drugging him?"

"We hope to avoid such drastic measures," Maurina cut in, her finger pushing at glasses that weren't there. "But we will, should it become necessary."

I nodded, silently vowing to protect Raccoon Boy from that fate. I'd seen it before – the dim eyes, the drooping shoulders, the shuffling feet of those too woozy to stand upright. It _was_ necessary at times, and I accepted that ages ago. But that didn't mean I _liked_ it. I'd taken that hostile glint in those icy eyes over no glint at all any day.

"I still have a question, Kailyn," Maurina interrupted my musings. "I've been told you visited the boy once. But you said you went twice."

My face heated up again. Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut?! This was going to suck. "I had an episode outside his cell, and before anyone asks: No, still no change. I don't remember a thing. Anyway, I forgot the key in the lock because of it. So I went back and figured that, since I was there anyway, I might as well go in and try to talk to him another time."

"You forgot the key?!"

That was what I expected. The Captain jumped to his feet and paced the small room.

However, Maurina seemed to remain unfazed. "How did it go?"

"Surprisingly well. He's quite the talker once you convince him to open his mouth." I rolled my eyes at the memory. "Got all hung up on some grammar oddity. I didn't even know that was possible. I guess I need to broaden my word pool a bit before I can follow what he's babbling about."

"That sounds like him alright," the Captain muttered. "You may want to start with using 'vocabulary' instead of 'word pool'. But!" He eyed me with a grave expression. "You will _not_ go anywhere near his cell block without a guard. And you will turn in your keys."

I suspected as much. "Of course. I wouldn't trust myself with them, either." I bowed my head. "But thank you for not taking me off the task. I really want to help him, whoever he is."

The Captain's expression softened. "I wish the best for you, Kailyn."

"And Raccoon Boy!"

"And Raccoon Boy. Is that what you call him?"

I shrugged. "I need to call him _something_. And seeing how everyone refuses to tell me his actual name, that's what I'm going with. He doesn't seem to mind. Or care."

The Captain shared a look with Maurina, and she nodded. "Raccoon Boy it is. Listen up, Kailyn!"

She went on telling me some stuff that wasn't exactly new. She told me to observe Raccoon Boy closely, down to the slightest twitch of a toe. (Like that was even possible, considering the lighting conditions.) She also wanted a detailed account of every visit, starting with my first two. I pleaded confidentiality because that _obviously_ wasn't intrusive _at all._ One of the perks of growing up around nurses was that I knew my rights and, by extension, Raccoon Boy's. Both Maurina and the Captain looked a little sour about it, but I told them I couldn't help Raccoon Boy if I couldn't have so much as a natural conversation with him. It's hard to do anything natural knowing you need to repeat it to someone else.

Of course, the real reason was that I didn't want to get Austin into trouble for smuggling sweets. Or Raccoon Boy for... well, having a raccoon. I could tell he needed Rudiger with him. I broke a bunch of ward rules, and would probably break some more along the way. All for the greater good, naturally, but I was afraid that explanation wouldn't fly.

"I promise to tell you the important things. Oh, and I'm going to need help, since I've obviously never done this before and will alone will only get me so far."

"A wise decision." Maurina finally put her glasses back on. "If you have any questions, please ask."

There was that unspoken addition of _unless they're related to his identity,_ but there was no point in complaining. I thought back on my two visits, and how unprepared I felt. But now that it came down to it, I couldn't find the words to convey my insecurities.

I licked my dry lips. "It's just... I don't know if this even counts as a question... I mean, it's probably really stupid..."

"There are no stupid questions," Maurina said, and I pulled a face at my lap.

"Why me? Why _him?_ I mean, I get it, same age and same position and stuff, but... You want me to go in without prejudice? Too late. I can't forget Austin's reaction. Plus, now that I think about it, he didn't give me a reason to like him so far. Talking to him is awkward and... dreadful, and now you've basically told me that I can't trust a single word he says because he might end up using me one way or another." I gritted my teeth and my fingers curled into fists. I was already questioning the whole raisin business, and it was _not pleasant._

"It's work, Kailyn."

"Huh?" I raised my head to stare at Maurina. I had some trouble processing her words.

"It's work, my dear. It takes effort to help those who don't want it. Results will not be quick. And it is _not_ your task to like him. It's your task to _understand. _Do you believe you can fulfill it?"

A part of me was tempted to say no. My gaze dropped to my lap again. I must have been the picture of hesitation, and Maurina noticed.

"You can call off the mission if you're uncomfortable."

A snicker escaped me, spiting the tension. _Mission. _"I can call it off anytime, right?"

"Of course."

I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders and looked straight into Maurina's eyes. "Then that time is _not_ now."

Maurina smiled. "Thank you, Kailyn. Any other questions?"

* * *

I wasn't surprised when Austin walked up to me later that day. I was in the yard, lying on the grass with my eyes closed and soaking up what little sun reached the small, walled square while trying to soothe my worries and make plans. It was hard, considering I knew next to nothing about... _everything_.

Austin was a welcome change of pace. I heard him sit down next to me and shortly after, something round and relatively heavy was placed on my stomach. I cracked open an eye and lifted my head to check – it was Austin's helmet.

A smile broke out on my face and I relaxed back into the grass. If he was in the right state to be fooling around again, he must have gotten over his worry.

"I take it you're feeling better now?"

Austin hummed. "The Captain assigned me as your guard while you take care of... the boy."

My eyes snapped open and I sat bolt upright, helmet tumbling into my lap. I was beaming so hard, the sun had nothing on me! "Really?!"

"Yes." Austin returned the smile, but I could detect a hint of concern in it. He wasn't completely fine with the idea of me and Raccoon Boy yet, and it dampened my mood quite a bit.

"You really think he'll hurt me, right?"

Austin turned away. He didn't answer for a while, but eventually, he caved. "I don't know, Kai. I never met him in person, but I... hear things. I know you're not afraid and I want to trust your judgment. Even the princess, but I just... I don't know. I wish I could tell you what he's done."

I grabbed the helmet and put it into the grass next to me. Free to move, I scooted closer and turned a little to lean against Austin's side, silently asking him to wrap his arm around me. He complied.

I sighed. "I get that, believe me. Nurse Maurina said I should try to understand Raccoon Boy, but I've been thinking about it and I have no idea how I'm supposed to understand _anything_ if people refuse to tell me where he went off the deep end."

"Raccoon...?"

"Oh yeah, that raccoon we chased was actually the boy's pet. His name's Rudiger. Quite a sweet little guy when he doesn't have his teeth inside you."

Austin made a weird rumbling noise. "That explains why it was tearing up the infirmary," he muttered, and I tilted my head back to try and look at him.

"What do you mean?"

Austin shook his head. "Never mind. We were talking about understanding that boy, right?"

I grumbled. I could see the distraction, but I let it go. "Yeah..."

"Well, perhaps Nurse Maurina wants you to... actually..."

"Make friends with him?"

Austin kept silent. I wasn't sure if I should find it funny or concerning that the idea was so offensive to him he couldn't even say it out loud.

Probably both.

"You know, I thought about that, too. But she said I didn't need to like him. Besides, don't you think it would be a strange end goal? Befriending a criminal?"

"That _does_ sound weird..." Austin let go of me and I turned around to meet his gaze. It was pretty bleak. "You really thought this through, didn't you?"

I shrugged. "Of course. It's a huge change. There's so much to take in and puzzle over, like how my impression of Raccoon Boy fits into how everyone seems to be shaking in their boots at the mere mention of him. That's super unsettling. Besides, I don't really have better things to do."

Austin's lips curled into a thoughtful frown as he mulled it over, then his face lit up. "Are you up for a game of chess?"

For a moment, I just stared dumbly. I'd been completely blindsided by the suggestion, but it didn't take long for me to find my bearings and pick up Austin's helmet, grinning. He knew me too well. "How could I ever say no to that?"

* * *

I was glad to get my mind off of Raccoon Boy for a while. The game room was brimming with people as usual, with nurses and patients killing time between therapy sessions, nurses and patients _during_ therapy sessions, guards on duty who watched out for signs of fighting (like flying cards, though the craziest thing I'd seen so far was someone getting stab-happy with a rook) and guards off duty who shouldn't be there but came in anyway to play dice somewhere they wouldn't be caught.

I grabbed the last of three chess boards and a box of chess pieces. I didn't exactly have tournament skills, but I enjoyed chess very much and knew some good moves with the two bishops. I found that people tended to underestimate these, though Austin had seen through me long ago and always went for them. At the moment, I was trying to shift my focus to the knights, which were Austin's favorites.

I don't know how long we played. I only know that the dinner bell rang and cut short a match _when I was winning, dammit!_

A moan escaped me as I prepared to gather the pieces and put them back into the box, but Austin stopped me with a hand on mine.

"I'm sure there's time to finish this game." He grinned. "Besides, we'll avoid the queues!"

I smirked. I liked the suggestion very much. "You sure you want to get stomped by me?"

Austin teasingly wagged a finger. "Uh-uh, don't count your chickens before they're hatched! I still have my knights!"

"Not for long, you don't!" I teased right back, and I made good on that promise while the people around us slowly folded their cards, shut their books and shelved their boards. When I finally said the most glorious of words ("Checkmate!"), we were alone with two guards and a nurse.

I leaned back in the chair and stretched with a sigh of bliss. "Ah, that was fun! We should do this more often." I looked around. "I don't think I've ever seen this place so quiet. I could actually concentrate for once!"

"True!" Austin twisted in his chair to get up (they were all fixed to the floor) and put on his helmet. "Mind if I go ahead and grab a table?"

"Please do! And grab some plates while you're at it; I'm not sure how long there'll be any."

"Will do!" He saluted and went off, leaving me with a chess board to put away. It was a foldable one, with hinges to save space, and as I swiped at the chess pieces, an idea popped into my head.

I looked around again. The nurse was an elderly woman named Juliet. She was busy tidying up the books and her ears weren't the best anymore. The two guards were talking to each other and paying me no heed. I was part of the landscape to them; I never caused a stir after all.

I could get into so much trouble for this. Then again, I already let a raccoon into the ward and fed it with nuts I wasn't supposed to have. Besides, I'd never get a chance like this ever again.

Before I could change my mind, I unclasped my now empty snack bag from the waistband of my breeches and sweeped the chess pieces into it, then folded the chess board and dropped it down the back of my tunic. I shivered as the cool wood touched my back, but I tightened my belt to make sure it won't fall out. I shoved the empty box as far back onto the highest shelf as I could reach and quietly slipped out of the room.

Austin was _so_ going to kill me.

* * *

"You again."

I curled my lips at the snub. I was nowhere near as nervous as I'd been for the two prior visits, so I could respond in kind. "Yup, me again."

I'd caught Raccoon Boy looking out the window, elbows on what passed for a window ledge around here and cupping his face. But at least the sun shone in a better angle this time, so when he turned around, I could actually _see_ him glower at me. I felt a flash of sympathy. I'd walked in on him in a vulnerable moment.

I decided not to press the issue and showed him the chess board I'd been holding at my side. "I thought you're probably bored out of your skull in here, so I snuck this from the game room. Do you play?"

Raccoon Boy eyed me suspiciously, then the board, then me again. "Chess or checkers?"

"Uh, chess." I dropped my arms to my sides, board still in hand. "I didn't think of bringing checker pieces. Maybe next time?"

Raccoon Boy's eyes narrowed. "Don't think I didn't hear that."

"Hmm?" I tilted my head. "What?"

"You're going to make a habit out of this." He crossed his arms. "Don't you have better things to do?"

"Not really. I've been stuck in this ward for years. I mean, they _try_, but I'm bored out of my skull, too." It wasn't _completely_ true, but it wasn't much of a lie, either. "You've probably noticed. We can't write or read anything without a guard nearby, because books are heavy and quills don't make for good eye decoration. We can't do needlework, no painting, no music, and we're always out of chalk. Anything that can be weaponized is forbidden, and _everything_ can be weaponized. Including this board, so you better appreciate my effort."

Hopefully the door was thick enough to block the sound. Austin was positioned outside, waiting for an excuse to jump in here and strangle Raccoon Boy. Or something like that.

He was going to be incredibly bored. But at least he got paid for it, unlike certain other people.

I dropped to the floor and spread out the chess board. Rudiger shot from a corner to check it out, and I pushed him off before he hit on the marvelous idea to gnaw at it or some such nonsense. "No, Rudiger! This is humans only!"

Raccoon Boy muttered something, making me look up. "What?"

"Nothing," he brushed me off and sat on the opposite side of the board. He looked at me expectantly, so I shrugged and grabbed my pouch to turn it inside out. The wooden chess pieces clattered to the floor. A black rook developed a mind of its own and rolled away, but Raccoon Boy caught it before it could disappear into oblivion and set it up on his side. I was tempted to check if that was even correct, but I didn't want to look like a know-it-all and it honestly didn't matter.

"Well, that settles the color question."

I got no answer, but at least Raccoon Boy didn't need any further encouragement to gather the black pieces. It was probably a good thing that the game happened to be chess of all things, since it didn't require any verbal communication besides the occasional check announcement.

The silence was unnerving, though. Especially as it was permeated by the rattling of chains, which got increasingly hard to ignore. At some point, one of the slack parts swinging from Raccoon Boy's wrists hit a few of the chess pieces, scattering half of our formations and toppling the other half. He hissed when he pulled back, but it was the kind of hiss that came from sucking _in_ breath, not from forcing it _out._

It didn't help that Rudiger saw the chaos, apparently wanted in on it, and pounced. In a matter of seconds, the chess pieces were all over the place except for one, which was in the paws of a perfectly satisfied raccoon chilling on the newly emptied board.

Raccoon Boy's hand was glued to his face. "I'm sorry about that."

If I hadn't been so baffled at Rudiger, I might have done something weird. An _apology_ was just about the last thing I ever thought I'd get. As it was though, it sounded so natural that my brain didn't even register it as unusual. "Never mind."

Rudiger tilted his head. He actually looked kind of smug, the way he stared at me with that blob of white between... "Hey! Isn't that my queen?"

I tried to pry the chess piece from Rudiger's paws, but only succeeded in lifting him up together with it.

I couldn't keep myself from snickering. A raccoon dangling from a chess piece and chittering his heartfelt indignation was one of the funniest things I'd ever seen. "Alright. You win, you little queennapper!" Still chuckling, I dropped queen and critter and Rudiger zipped under the cot. Not out of reach, but apparently delusional enough to think so.

I directed my grin at Raccoon Boy, who... wasn't sharing in my joy at all. I wouldn't have blamed him for being all doom and gloom – this place wasn't exactly a funfair after all. But the way he sat there, shoulders tense, hands curled into fists and scowling, it was _resentment_ I picked up from him. Hatred and anger... and _pain_.

My stomach turned. I caught myself hunching into my shoulders and forced them to relax. It was a bit tricky, but I twisted in my spot until I could stretch out my legs parallel to the chessboard and lean back on my hands without losing sight of Raccoon Boy. Looking nonchalant in a situation like this could be really tough.

"Say, do you always glare at people like they just stabbed your grandma, or is it just me? I'm not trying to steal your pet, y'know?"

"Who are you?"

I didn't expect an actual reply, so I wasn't surprised when he answered my question with a question. It still confused me for a moment, and I drew up a knee to lean on while I bounced some words around my mind. Maybe I took this a little too seriously, but I wanted to be sincere in my answer without giving up too much info. Austin's panic and the Captain's warnings still haunted me. I trusted this boy about as far as I could throw him, however, if I wanted to get anywhere, building trust was absolutely _vital_.

I puffed up my cheeks. This was _work_ indeed. "I'm not entirely sure where you're going with that question, but I guess I haven't actually introduced myself yet, so... yeah." I turned around and tucked in my legs so I could sit face-to-face with Raccoon Boy again, donning a smile in the process. "I'm Kailyn, but I prefer Kai. I'm currently the ward baby, or maybe that's you now, dunno. My best friend is six years older than me, so I'm glad to finally meet someone my age. I hope we can be friends!"

Raccoon Boy huffed and turned away. "I don't _do_ friends."

I tilted my head. "Why not?"

I must have been really annoying, because that was the point where Raccoon Boy _snapped_. A jolt ran through him and he sat bold upright. Even from the side I could see his eyes widen briefly before he closed them and started _yelling, _"What do you care, anyway?!"

There was a note of despair in his voice, and I realized with a start that he was turned away not because he didn't deign to face me, but because he _couldn't_. He scrambled to his feet and made a dash for the window, which was about the farthest he could get from me in this cell. "Shouldn't you be running away from me like everyone else?!"

I didn't answer right away. I wanted to give him (and me) some time to breathe, but the silence hung heavy and eventually, I deemed myself calm enough to keep my voice level.

"I don't know. Should I?"

* * *

**Alright, before my brain goes all scattery on me again, I need to say thanks for the guest reviews. If I had to guess, I'd say they're both from the same person, but I could be wrong. Either way, thank you, no matter how many of you there are!**


	4. Walls

I didn't get an answer. No surprise there. However, Rudiger reappeared from beneath the cot and summited his friend's shoulder. I took the chance to dive under said cot and get my queen back, then started gathering the rest of the chess pieces.

By the time I'd found every single piece and returned them to my pouch, Raccoon Boy seemed to have forgotten I was even there. He was still glued to the window, shoulders relaxed, and in the complete absence of background noise, I could hear his steady breathing.

I heaved a deep sigh and padded up to him. "May I join you?"

He turned his head, and his face contorted into a scowl. His voice dripped with disdain as he said "Oh, you're still here," but there was such a strong undercurrent of exhaustion that it fell flat entirely.

I shrugged. "You didn't exactly give me a reason to leave."

"I _am_ the reason to leave!"

"So you keep saying." I placed my hands on my hips. "Look, if you want me to leave, just say so. Until then, I'm going to assume you're in dire need of a hug."

"Don't you dare," Raccoon Boy huffed and turned back to the window. "And here I thought Rudiger was clingy."

Rudiger responded to the accusation with outraged chittering. I snickered and took the last step towards the window to scratch his head. "He just _cares_ about you! Nothing wrong with that!"

Raccoon Boy spun around and leaned against the window bars, arms crossed. "You really have no idea, do you?"

"Nope." This time, I was the one to turn to the window for relief. "And I get the feeling I really don't want to know. I'd rather enjoy the sunset right now."

"The sunset?" Raccoon Boy tsked. "Someone's got her priorities straight."

"Oh, come on! My window faces south! I haven't seen a sunset in a long, long time!" I only realized how true these words rang when I spoke them. I hadn't really _missed_ watching the sunset, but now that I got the chance, _nothing_ was going to separate me from _this_ window!

As a matter of fact, the view in general was pretty amazing. My own window overlooked the yard, which was rather boring most of the time. Raccoon Boy's window, however, overlooked the castle town. I could see the bustling town square and the main street, where the people made some last purchases before the traders would pack up their stalls and close their shops. I could see a fountain breaking up the sea of colorful houses, and even the _actual_ sea glittering in the distance under pink fluffy clouds. The setting sun bathed everything in a soft orange glow, accentuating the purple flags of Corona strewn about the town and invigorating the citizens with its warmth.

I couldn't believe I never missed this. Vague memories popped into my mind, memories of riding these waves of humanity with my family. Memories of dragging my elder sister around by her hand to show her the musicians, memories of begging my mom and dad for cupcakes and lollipops. Memories of harvest festivals, when my sister would ignore me because she was busy dancing with the boy she liked, loved, and went on to marry. My little eight-year-old self had been very angry at her, and at Mom and Dad drinking apparently super tasty stuff that all adults drank and refused to share with me. But I'd had fun, too, playing with the other kids and pranking the mean, mean grown-ups. I even remembered the harbor, and the time when I fell into the sea on the princess's birthday because I wanted to catch a lantern that went out and sank into the bay.

"I snuck on a ship once." I had no idea why I shared this random bit of information. It just felt _right_. "I was six or seven, I don't remember. But I loved ships as a kid, and I wanted to know how such a huge hunk of wood could float when even teeny tiny me couldn't. My family was not amused when one of the crew members brought me back. They busted their butts trying to find me, and _I_ was on a vessel headed for Galcrest!"

Raccoon Boy hummed. "Galcrest? That's an impressive detail to remember."

"They kept repeating it." I sighed and leaned my elbows on the window ledge. My heart ached. "Besides, I don't have many memories of that sort. I was nine when I came here, and I've only been out once since then, last winter. And that didn't even count, because it was an evacuation."

"The blizzard..." Raccoon Boy mumbled, making me nod.

Tears stung at the corners of my eyes. I _did_ miss this. I _did_ miss life outside the walls, the people, the town, my little backwater village. I even missed my chores. I missed feeding the chickens and picking their eggs, or helping my mom around the house.

I missed it _so much_. I only convinced myself I didn't. And right now, that conviction was _crumbling_.

"You know, I taught myself to always look forward, and _only_ forward. I simply wasn't meant to grow up that way, and looking back just... It just hurts so much. But I guess a part of me just can't forget." A small sniff escaped me as I lifted my eyes to the horizon. Lost in thought as I'd been, I didn't see the sky streak over. It was completely red now, but still a sight to behold. "It's probably a blessing that I can't see the town." I choked on my own words, but my twisting guts told me to keep talking. If I stopped now, stopped distracting myself, I knew I'd have a breakdown. "I can't see what I'm missing this way. But, you know, I was _nine_. I was small and pudgy and tanned and had long, bright red hair. My sister called me 'little foxy'. And now..." A sob tried to wrench itself from my throat. I slapped my hands down on the window ledge, and my fingers curled into fists without me wanting them to. I swallowed, hard, and the sob stayed where it was. "They wouldn't even recognize me now. All they'd see now is a tall, pale brunette with a haircut that'd be more at home in the military and who's in dire need of exercise. Some stranger who couldn't possibly belong with them. I–"

"Hey, hey." A hand squeezing my upper arm cut me off. I swatted at it half-heartedly, not intending to actually hit anything but hoping to get the message across. The hand went away.

I didn't dare turning around to face Raccoon Boy. It was bad enough that my shoulders were shaking; I didn't want him to see my watery eyes, too.

I drew a deep breath, willing the tears to stay where they belonged. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you have your own set of problems, without having to listen to mine."

"It's fine," Raccoon Boy replied, neither confirming nor denying the rest of the statement, and I was in no mood to push for information. I just sighed and turned around.

"I guess I'll better be off." As I picked up the chessboard and hid it inside my tunic, I wrangled every bit of self-control I had. So I could at least give Raccoon Boy a smile. "Sorry for dropping this on you, really. But thanks for listening anyway."

"Let's not talk about it." Raccoon Boy shook his head and waved me off. "Just go!"

A bitter chuckle escaped my throat. I complied, gladly, and practically fled the scene. Or at least I planned to, but there was another uncomfortable bit when Rudiger tried to follow, chirping at me in a way that sounded like a scolding. Raccoon Boy was forced to haul his chained-up self across the cell to stop his pet from causing another scuffle, which wouldn't have been so terrible in and of itself, but I really wanted out by this point and my proximity-o-meter was overloading. So I spent a good thirty seconds trying to merge with the door and generally being a useless log while Raccoon Boy chased his critter around my legs.

Finally, Raccoon Boy caught hold of Rudiger and straightened, with the animal chittering in protest. "Gotcha! What's wrong with you?!"

"Probably me," I replied, even though there was no way the question was meant to be answered. My voice came out all breathy and panty, and I could feel my heartbeat all the way to the tips of my ears. I heaved a deep breath. "Animals are so much more sensitive to anguish than humans are." I shook my head and slid down the door. I needed to sit.

It hadn't been a pleasant experience, but at least the excitement distracted me from my grief. I was much calmer and had no trouble looking up into Raccoon Boy's eyes. "On the other hand, he could be after our medicine again." I shot Rudiger a warning glare. "You never know with these little guys."

"Medicine?"

"Some ribwort tincture." I rolled my eyes and braced my hand against the door to climb to my feet. "Although that probably doesn't mean anything to you. Basically, it's cough syrup. But it can also be used to treat infections, which is why it's so important to us at the moment. The last couple weeks took a serious toll on our med supply." I finally reached a stable upright position and leaned back, arms crossed and gritting my teeth. "I probably don't need to tell you why."

Raccoon Boy shook his head, but it was mechanical. The rest of him remained unmoving, his brows were knitted and his eyes unfocused.

His mind was clearly somewhere else.

With a start, I remembered what the Captain had said about Raccoon Boy, and how his brains were his greatest weapon. He'd latched onto something, and it _had_ to be something sinister. And while I had no idea what part of 'cough syrup' could possibly be hinting at escape routes or anything, I wished I'd kept my mouth shut.

"What are you thinking about?"

Raccoon Boy winced and looked up. Good. Whatever train of thought had been running through his head, he should have lost it.

"Uh..."

He was struggling for words, I could see it. I unfolded my arms and pushed myself off the door. "You know what? Don't bother. I can imagine." I sighed and reached out a hand to pet Rudiger's head. Might be the last time. "Look, I don't like this any more than you, but you know I can't ignore this, right? I'll have to tell the guards."

Rudiger squeaked as he was torn away from my scratching fingers. Raccoon Boy took a step back, hugging his pet tightly to his chest. He kept quiet, but his glare made words superfluous anyway.

It made my heart ache. So I stared back, silently pleading with him to say something, to prove me wrong. But nothing came.

Suddenly I felt very, very tired. I should have known better than to try and make friends with someone from _this_ section, but even so, I was going to miss him. And I'd have to tell Maurina I failed... Raccoon Boy would _never_ talk to me again after this, but not telling anyone and possibly enabling a criminal to escape? That was a rule I couldn't break.

I turned on my heel and started fiddling with the lock. The sooner I stopped looking back, the better. "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. It was nice meeting you, though."

"My dad."

I froze in mid-fiddle and turned my head. I couldn't help it. "What?"

"It's about my dad," Raccoon Boy pressed through gritted teeth, then stalked away to sit on the cot and giving me the cold shoulder in the process. "Happy now?"

His dad? Wait, wait, wait... What? What did cough syrup have to do with... Oh. Oh. The war, of course!

_Stupidity, thy name is Kailyn..._

My face must have been quite a sight, because Raccoon Boy huffed. "What, did you think I was plotting an escape? By throwing cough drops at a guard, perhaps? Hope they slip on it?"

I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks. "Yeah... It sounds really dumb if you say it out loud." I dropped to the floor again, deciding that it was really, totally cozy after all. I hugged my knees and buried my flaming face in them. "Sorry..."

I couldn't tell if the lack of response meant he didn't hear me or if it was really just The Usual, and I didn't care enough to ask. Once I recovered from my moronicness (which seemed to become a habit real quick lately), I instead tried to make sense of the thought process. There didn't appear to be any inclination on Raccoon Boy's part to volunteer any more information.

Maybe his dad was a guard? There'd been a minor uproar when casualties were counted after the war, and the number of deaths amounted to a whopping _zero. _It seemed like a miracle. But there'd still been injuries, and _hoo boy_ did I get worrying about family members! Especially when you're cut off from any way of receiving news...

In a bid to relax and steel my resolve, I leaned back and stretched out my legs. It helped to breathe a little freer. "Would you like to write a letter?"

"Huh?" Raccoon Boy gave me a blank look. The concept seemed to puzzle him. "Letter?"

"Well, you're worried about your dad, right? Maybe I can get some paper and–"

"No." That was the point when he, too, straightened a little and a sigh of exasperation filled the room. "I mean, yes, I'm worried, but sending a letter would be pointless. My dad's in no condition to..." He trailed off and shook his head with an unsettling amount of ferocity. "Forget it! Just go away!"

I didn't even try to process anything beyond the last couple words. I was _not_ going to leave him alone in this state! "Are you–"

"_Get out!_"

My ears rang from the sudden rise in volume. Yes, he _was_ sure, and forcing him to endure my presence was not going to help anyone. Plus, when he turned away and a comforting chirp emanated from his lap, I realized I wasn't leaving him alone at all.

Raccoon Boy was in good paws.

I couldn't help smiling. Without disturbing the silence, I turned the key and squeezed outside, where Austin was waiting. Together, we hauled the heavy door shut and locked it, then I handed the key to my new personal guard.

I nodded at him. He nodded at me. We didn't need words to decide to put some distance between ourselves and the cell before anyone dared speaking. And by 'some distance', I mean _The Door_.

The very moment it closed behind us, Austin pulled me into a hug. Which I happily returned. (I've seen cuddlier things than a chestplate, though. Owowowow...)

"I'm so glad you're okay, Kai! You were in there for so long, I was getting worried!"

"Sorry, Austin. I was just–"

"Wait..." Austin cut me off. The chessboard vibrated a little under my tunic, pressing gently into my back. _Uh-oh..._

Austin released me and stepped back, hands on his hips and eying me from underneath his helmet. My face heated up – _again_. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me, Kailyn?"

"Um..." I clasped my hands behind my back and awkwardly shifted from one foot to the other. And maaaan, that was one _fascinating_ ceiling!

"Kai?"

"Gosh, Austin! You're not my mom!" I sighed and reached down the back of my collar. Better get this over with...

As I sheepishly unfolded the black and white pattern, Austin's expression changed from accusing to slack-jawed and, at last, to upset. "You didn't..."

"I'm afraid I did."

"Kai!"

I flinched and reflexively raised the chessboard like a shield against the noise. Before I knew it, the board was torn from my grasp and I found myself inside another bear hug.

Yep, that was about what I expected. After a moment, I relaxed my shoulders and wrapped my arms around Austin's chest. "I'm fine, Austin. I'm safe."

"Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?" Austin whispered, which would have been heartbreaking if it didn't seem so... over-the-top. For goodness' sake, Raccoon Boy wasn't exactly Wreck Marauder!

"I could have come out with a bad conscience because I decked a kid in chains?"

"This isn't funny, Kai!" Austin placed his hands on my shoulders and pushed me back a little so I could look into his eyes. They were very, very serious eyes. "I know you don't know what I know, but you know..." He stopped himself and shut his eyes, visibly pulling himself together. I waited with bated breath until his eyes opened again and he heaved a deep sigh. "Please, Kai. You must promise me to never do something so reckless _ever_ again. You have no idea what's going on and I just... I can't let you do this! I can't let you get hurt!"

"Austin, I..." I drew a long, calming breath. I reached up and gently took Austin's hands, then stepped back a little to make room for holding them between us.

I could see he meant it. This wasn't the usual drama. Something big was going on, something I knew nothing about, and I could very well be in way over my head. But Austin hadn't _met_ Raccoon Boy, and Nurse Maurina and the Captain of the Guard, who _did_ (or at least I thought who did), trusted me to do this. And I _wanted_ to do this!

"Look, Austin... I get that you're concerned, and I'm very grateful to have a friend like you. I also understand that yes, I do not know the bigger picture, and I'll promise to lay off the blunt weaponry if it's so important to you. But I need you to understand that I, too, know a thing or two about Raccoon Boy that _you_ don't know, and I can take care of myself. Okay?"

I looked squarely into Austin's eyes, and I held the gaze until eventually, he nodded. "Okay."

"Thank you." I smiled and gave him a quick hug, then picked up the chessboard that leaned against the wall behind Austin. Time to change the subject. "So, uh..." I chuckled awkwardly and tapped my nails against the wood. "I didn't quite think things through when I took the board. There probably won't be another situation where the game room is virtually unguarded any time soon. I could use someone to cover for me while I put back the board and replace all the chess pieces." I donned my toothiest grin and my best puppy dog eyes, and I could see the sense of foreboding flooding Austin's face. "You wouldn't mind, do you?"

Austin facepalmed. "No, Kai! I mean, yes, Kai, I do, in fact, mind! I'm not going to get involved in your shenanigans!"

"Suit yourself," I chirped. I kept the grin on as I slipped past Austin and had way too much fun doing so. "Then I guess I'll just have to keep it until the opportunity arises. I wonder how many chess matches I can fit into that time?"

"Kai!" Austin yelled, and the pounding of boots against the floor rang in my ears like the sweet fanfares of victory.

"Yes?"

"You are a horrible person."

I dropped the chessboard down the back of my tunic, snickering all the while. "I know. Love you too!"

* * *

**Not much to say about this one, I guess. Except maybe that if you're looking for action, don't hold your breath. Oh, there'll be action and plenty, but it's going to take a while and I remember getting a very nasty review once from someone who was looking for a plot in a story that practically screamed "Character-driven!" and never pretended to be anything else.**

**So yeah... Better clarify that now before people get disappointed?**


	5. And This Is How You Brain

I cried myself to sleep that night. And while it certainly wasn't the first time I did that, it was the first time in who-knows-how-long that it was so intense. I buried my face in my pillow and sobbed until it was cold and wet. I tossed and turned, clawing at the mattress in an irrational search for something to hold onto. But there was nothing, so I wept and wept until I was so out of touch that I couldn't even remember why I was weeping in the first place.

I only remembered that it hurt. It hurt so much.

At some point, someone of the night guard poked his head into my room. I didn't care enough to look who it was; I was too busy trying to switch off my mind and find some peace. But even when I finally lost consciousness due to sheer exhaustion, there was none to be had. Nightmares plagued my fitful sleep – nightmares of walls moving in, of sinking ships, of faceless babies screaming into the void, of blue-furred raccoon monsters, and of a quaint little village covered in black spikes.

* * *

I refused to get up in the morning. Or rather, I was so drained that my mind was trapped somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. When Austin shook me out of it that day, I could have sworn for a split-second that I remembered the voice.

And then it was gone again, and I found myself trembling and covered in goosebumps, cold beneath my warm blanket. Without any real enthusiasm, I sat up and pulled the wool sheet tighter around my body. When I caught Austin moving in for a hug from the corner of my eye, I silently shook my head.

"Kai?"

"I'm sorry, Austin. I don't feel like anything... touchy right now."

I didn't see him scooting over so much as I felt it. He leaned back against the wall, and I followed his lead.

"What's wrong?" he asked, then I heard a small huff. "It's that _boy_, isn't it? Did he do something to you?"

I gritted my teeth. "Is there anything else on your mind right now? Anything but blaming Raccoon Boy for every tiny bit?"

I didn't even need the shocked silence to realize that a certain frigidness had found its way into my voice. I buried my face in my hands, once again at the verge of crying. "No... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that."

A sigh. "Yeah... I'm sorry, too."

I looked up, still blinking the surprise away when I caught Austin taking off his helmet and running a hand through his hair.

"Huh?"

Austin seemed to have found something very fascinating at the ceiling. "You're pretty attached to him, aren't you?"

"I guess you can say that..." Damn, this was awkward. "But I also guess I have to admit that the timing is suspicious. It's not his fault though, it was more like... the window."

"Window?"

A chuckle escaped my throat. I didn't need to see Austin's face to know that his eyebrows were as high as the heavens. "Yep. Castle Town sure is pretty in the evening sun."

An uncomfortable pause ensued. I knew that Austin knew what was going on. That I had one of my 'phases' and there was nothing he could do to change it.

It would pass on its own. It always did. Even when it felt like it never would, just like it did now.

"I want to go outside, Austin," I whispered. "I want to see things and talk to people and just... _live_. Like a normal girl."

Austin didn't point out that I wasn't normal. It went without saying. Plus, we were yet to figure out something that worked _at all_.

Besides listening, that is. But for now it was enough. It had to be.

I heaved a sigh and threw the blanket down onto the bed so I could get up. I hopped into my slippers and stretched before flashing my friend a smile. "Thank you, Austin. How could I ever repay you?"

Austin smiled back. "Don't worry about it. You should focus on getting better first."

I blew a raspberry at nothing in particular. "Tell that to the voice in my head." I turned on my heel and walked over to my washbasin. The water had become pretty dusty over the last three days, but only the nurses had the keys to unlock the basins from their tables and change it.

I still dunked my face in and gulped it down. I needed the refreshment too much to care. "Aah! Much better!"

Austin stared at me blankly for a moment, then shook his head. "You could've had some of _my_ water, y'know?"

I curled my lips. Didn't think of that. "That was too obvious. Besides..." I swiped my hand across my face and ran my fingers through my hair, relishing in the cool droplets of water spreading over my skin and washing the last traces of salt from my cheeks. "Water is not just for drinking."

Austin chuckled and a grin crept onto my lips. It was hard to stay depressed like that.

I put my hands on my hips. "Alright, my dear bodyguard! Your charge wants breakfast! Would you like to accompany me?"

* * *

After a hearty sandwich and some milk, I felt ready to face Head Nurse Maurina. I had a lot to report, after all, though I wasn't entirely sure what to tell her. On the way to her office I went over everything that had happened, however, by the time I sat opposite of her in a plushy chair, plus one steaming cup of tea but minus one Austin, my mind went blank.

"Nervous?" Maurina asked. I could only nod, my heart beating in my throat. She smiled encouragingly. "Just tell me what comes to your mind."

I gulped. "Nothing comes to my mind. That's the problem."

She jotted down some notes, and I tilted my head. "What are you writing? I didn't say anything worthwhile."

"You said plenty, Kailyn." She put her quill aside. I guessed she wasn't going to elaborate, and I was right. The next words to come out of her mouth formed a prompt: "It doesn't need to be anything remarkable. How is Raccoon Boy doing?"

I licked my dry lips, idly wondering how she managed to adopt my nickname for him so quickly. She didn't even hesitate. But anyway... "Well, I guess he's doing as fine as could be, but considering the situation, my impression of him doesn't necessarily mean anything." I shrugged. "He's not my greatest fan, and honestly, I'm not _his_ greatest fan, either. He's quite cold and resentful most of the time. He carries a lot of anger, I believe." I sighed. "And he makes me feel like an idiot."

Maurina looked up. "In what way?"

"Eh?!" My face heated up in a heartbeat. "You want me to answer that?!" No way I was reliving all of that!

She leaned back and folded her hands in her lap. "Kailyn, as much as we want to rehabilitate Raccoon Boy, your emotional wellbeing remains first priority. I cannot let this experiment interfere with your own recovery."

I snorted, perhaps a little too contemptuous. "Would it kill you brainiacs to speak like normal people for once?"

To my surprise, Maurina only laughed at my grouchy muttering. "Alright, Kailyn. If it helps you, I'll speak like a 'normal person'."

"Are you kidding me?!" I only just kept myself from facepalming. Instead, I crossed my arms. "Yes, it would help me very much!"

"Well then." She picked her quill back up. "I'm all ear."

I huffed. "Right. That's one of these things. I feel like an idiot because everyone talks weird!"

"Well, we can hardly forbid Raccoon Boy from speaking the way he knows. On the plus side, I'm actually very happy to hear that he talks enough for you to judge his speech." She smiled again. "Besides, a lack of knowledge is nothing to be ashamed of. Perhaps you can try to think of him as a springboard instead of competition? Most teen geniuses love to share their knowledge."

"Har har," I scoffed. "I bet he'd sooner look down on me instead of answering any questions that might crop up."

"You won't know if you don't try it. But I'm getting ahead of myself." Maurina searched my gaze, and I did her the favor. "Do you think he's in the right headspace for this?"

I nearly burst into laughter. 'Headspace' was not a word I expected to hear from _Head Nurse Maurina_ of all people. "Maybe. Depends on his mood. On mine too, I suppose." I picked up my tea, but it was still too hot for drinking. I ended up just staring into the red fluid. "A teen genius, huh?"

"Does it surprise you?"

"Not really. I mean, the Captain _did_ say something along those lines. I just... I guess it just didn't occur to me to put a label on it. But it'll probably help me to accept that we're..." I sighed. "That we're simply on different levels, nothing more, nothing less."

"You're not an idiot, Kailyn. I hear you're actually quite smart."

I chuckled awkwardly. "Thanks."

"Is there anything else that makes you uncomfortable?"

I wrinkled my nose. "Nothing you could change. And since you're going to ask: I'm talking about the chains. Just thinking about them makes me vaguely ill."

That gave Maurina pause for a moment. "You're right. I'm afraid that cannot be changed."

"And I don't ask for it. I just thought it might interest you."

"Well, it certainly means you're not lacking in the empathy department."

"I guess." I blew on my tea, suddenly out of words. "Any other questions?"

"Is there anything particular that came up? Certain subjects? Did everything go smoothly or was there an argument? Anything suspicious, perhaps?"

I hummed thoughtfully. That was _a lot_ of questions. "Where do I even start? We didn't fight, not per se, but there was this bit when I thought he'd hit on some sort of escape idea after I told him about our med supply being lower than ever because of that... What was this guy's name again? Ventail? Never mind, I don't wanna know. I mean that alchemist character." I balled my cup-free hand into a fist, having talked myself into a rage. "I swear, if I ever get my hands on him, he'll be _incredibly_ sorry!"

"You appear to be quite passionate about that subject."

"I am," I grumbled. "How many kingdoms do you know of that treat people like me with so much respect? I'm grateful to the king and queen, and especially Princess Rapunzel. I take high treason very personal!"

"I see." Maurina took some of her mysterious notes again. "You have met Princess Rapunzel a few times, is that correct?"

I nodded. "She couldn't do anything, but I still admire her a lot."

Maurina smiled. "I feel the same. However, I'd rather return to the original topic. I believe there was supposed to be a 'but' somewhere in there?"

Right. There was. "True," I sighed. "Anyway, I was mistaken. Raccoon Boy was just shaken because, well, who isn't after something like that? We hit the topic of family, and... yeah..." I looked away. I wouldn't have been too surprised if it turned out I wasn't the only who soaked their pillow last night. "We both had breakdowns and I decided that some distance might be in order."

"I understand."

That was all Maurina said. I took a sip of tea. It was finally cool enough to drink, and the cup was very nice to hide behind and mumble into. "Do you, though?"

* * *

The rest of the day passed by mostly uneventfully. I didn't feel like visiting Raccoon Boy, and I figured that, after what had transpired, the feeling was probably mutual. So I killed time by grabbing Theo and chatting with him about the new book that had been added to the ward's library. One of the guards got in on it and started acting out some of the scenes. He seemed to have so much fun that several people joined him, even some who had no idea what the book was about. The result was a complete derailment of the plot into utter nonsense, but it was so hilarious that nobody cared. Besides, the people living in the ward never got to see any plays, so this impromptu performance was twice the fun. (Even if it was about a dragon trying to eat the biggest apple in the world, choking on it and then deciding to live inside it instead.)

By the time dinner rolled around, the whole ward was gathered in the yard, some acting, some watching, some yelling suggestions at each other. Austin had found his way back to my side as a talking tree. I was an owl with anger issues that could breathe fire, and I was so excited and happy with my lot in that moment that all my problems shrank into non-issues. Even after dinner we were still having such a talkfest (or at least I had) that I dropped onto the mattress with that sort of serene bliss that came of a wearing, but satisfying day. No worries, no nightmares, no crying fits. It did me a world of good, and when I woke up the next morning, well rested and bursting with energy, I couldn't wait to tell Raccoon Boy.

Right after breakfast, I dragged Austin straight off. He wasn't particularly happy about it, but I refused to wait. Plus, it wasn't _him_ who had to go in there.

However, perhaps it would've been a good idea to stop and think about the laundry cart we ended up squeezing past. I smiled at Arthur and shouted a "Hello!" in the general direction of Nurse Lucy, who usually took care of this kind of stuff, and I briefly saw Austin give a hasty salute towards his superior before I forged ahead again, key in hand.

The cell door was heavy as always, but I didn't need to open it very far to poke my head into the cell. "Morning!"

My mood plummeted pretty much instantly. I pulled the rest of my limbs out of the crack and leaned against the door, shutting it.

I wasn't entirely sure what to make of the sight that greeted me. Raccoon Boy was lying on the cot, curled around Rudiger. The raccoon had lifted his head above his friend's legs and chirped questioningly, just as wise as I was.

I didn't really think about what I did next. Chances are I wouldn't have done it had I used my brain instead of following my guts, but since that was what I did, I ended up sitting at the end of Raccoon Boy's cot. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Uh-huh. I can totally see that."

"It's nothing!" Raccoon Boy repeated with a bit more force and turned around, towards the wall. "Keep your nose out of this!"

Rudiger, who had nearly been pushed off the cot during this, recovered from the shock and clambered up Raccoon Boy's back to give him a good scolding. Which was the point when I noticed something was off, even though it took me a couple seconds to pin it down – Raccoon Boy's tunic was sparkly white even though, for all intents and purposes, it should be covered in fur. And, all things considered, it made a lot of sense.

I sighed and leaned back on my hands. "Laundry day, am I right?"

"Can't hide anything from you, huh?"

I pretended not to hear the bitter undertone. "Well, I ran into Arthur and Lucy on the way here, so... yeah. Laundry day. They didn't see Rudiger, I hope?"

"No."

And thus, awkward silence entered the stage yet again. I had a vague idea what was going on, what with the chains making it physically impossible to change clothes. They'd been off at some point, and the guards weren't here for fun.

"Must've been humiliating."

There was the dull sound of a fist hitting something solid, coupled with a muffled "Ow!" I automatically turned around and found Raccoon Boy hauling himself upright, testing the functionality of his hand. "Excuse me, do you mind?"

Although he stopped there, I could almost hear the _Just keep rubbing it in, why don't you?_ I shook my head and turned forward again, mostly to stop myself from staring at the shackles. "Sorry. I tend to speak first and think second. Bad habit, I know."

While I wondered idly how Raccoon Boy would fare once someone decided to stick _him_ into the laundry, the cot shifted. Some rustling and rattling later, a second pair of feet hit the floor. "You didn't show up yesterday."

I blinked at Raccoon Boy, a little baffled by the abrupt change of subject. Rudiger, now planted firmly on Raccoon Boy's shoulder, chirped and waved his front paws.

I curled my lips. "Well, I thought I'd leave you alone for a while after what happened the other night. Why?" A snicker escaped my throat. "Miss me?"

Wrong approach. "Don't flatter yourself," Raccoon Boy huffed. "I'd pick solitude over listening to you any day of the week."

I stuck my tongue out at him. I was just mature like that. "That can be arranged." I lifted a hand and poked Rudiger's snout. "I'm sure Robert would be very happy to have his stolen keys back."

Raccoon Boy took the hint. "No way."

"Yes way. Your little friend was trying to bust you out when I caught him."

Rudiger chirped confirmation and climbed atop Raccoon Boy's head. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was _flexing_.

"Show-off," Raccoon Boy scolded lightly and drew up his knees so he could reach for his pet.

My stomach pinched and I gritted my teeth. It was a very casual move, no hesitation in sight. From the way Raccoon Boy teased Rudiger, I'd say he didn't even notice he did that.

He _did_ notice my tension, though. "What's wrong? You look like you had a lemonade and found that someone forgot to put water in it."

"I'm flattered," I deadpanned. "It's nothing though, just me being overly dramatic. See..." I shook my head and pointed at the shackles on Raccoon Boy's wrists. "It's just scary to think that they're bothering me more than they seem to bother you."

Raccoon Boy's brows furrowed. He looked down at the chain and tugged at it, then shrugged. "You can get used to anything, I suppose."

Rudiger chirped softly and scurried across Raccoon Boy's lap, as if looking for the best spot for a hug. He eventually settled on the right thigh and curled up, where Raccoon Boy started absently raking his fingers through his fur.

"You know, I did miss you."

The words sent a jolt through my spine before I had even processed them properly. "Wha...? You did?!"

"A little." Raccoon Boy straightened and looked at me with those ice eyes of his. It wasn't a friendly gaze, more like appraising and vaguely disdainful, but I held it anyway. "Don't get me wrong, I still think you're annoying, but..." He wrinkled his nose and returned his attention to Rudiger. "Well, you weren't wrong about this place being dreary as all get-out."

I wasn't entirely sure if I should explode into rage or into laughter. I settled on laughter. "I can work with that!"

"And that's why you're annoying."

I did take offense at that one. "What? Why? Because I'm trying to be positive?"

"Yes. That's exactly why."

"Well, you're negative enough for two, so... so there!"

Yeah, I was being real witty today. Raccoon Boy didn't remark on it, but the deadpan expression on his face said it all. My cheeks heated up and before I knew it, I found myself punching his shoulder, halfway into a complaint.

The words never left my lips. The very moment my fist connected, Raccoon Boy cried out and doubled over, shaking and gripping his elbows.

Panic flooded my system and I clapped my hands over my mouth. "I'm sorry! OhnononoohmygoshwhathappenedI'msosorry!"

"I'm fine, Kailyn," Raccoon Boy cut in. He took a deep breath, his shoulders relaxed and he straightened, revealing a very distraught Rudiger. "Don't worry about it."

"Well, I _am_ worried!" I insisted. "You're hurt! What happened?!"

"It's nothing, Kailyn, really. It's just... Hey, what are you doing?!"

"Sorry." I'd grabbed Raccoon Boy's wrist and was pushing up his sleeve. When I found nothing, I did the same with his tunic and discovered that his upper back was covered in white bandages.

I heaved a sigh of relief. White was good. White was not red. Unless the injury was in the front, but I wasn't going to check there. "Back injury?"

"Yes..."

"Thank goodness." I let the cloth roll down and Raccoon Boy helped it along, grumbling all the while.

"What was that for?"

"I was worried I reopened something. Doesn't seem to be the case, though."

"Well, good to know you pawed at me for nothing."

"I'm sorry, Raccoon Boy, but if something happens and you need serious treatment, I'm the one who'll be calling for help." I shifted away to give Raccoon Boy some space. "In turn, I promise not to ask any questions. Okay?"

Raccoon Boy huffed. "Promise. I've had enough of promises to last me a lifetime."

"Hmm?" Now _that_ was interesting. A question for another day, though. "Then how about permission to kick my butt if I _do_ ask about it? I mean, I don't know what your deal is, but... well, you know what I mean."

Raccoon Boy gave a sigh of exasperation. "Might as well get it over with." He scooted back against the wall and stretched his legs. (Which was a nice idea, so I did the same.) "I cut myself on a rock."

I raised my brows. That didn't sound like something that would warrant mummification. "Must've been some ro... Wait." I jerked forward to look Raccoon Boy in the face. "Don't tell me...! A black rock?!"

He didn't reply, just gave me a meaningful look I couldn't hold. The mere _idea_ of having my back sliced open by magic spikes was enough to make me nauseous. "Ouch..."

Still no answer. I probably lost Raccoon Boy somewhere, and I couldn't muster the energy to snap him out of it. I couldn't muster the energy to snap _myself_ out of it. My thoughts centered around my family, with a niche for Princess Rapunzel. They were all out there somewhere, struggling with those rocks.

I hoped they were okay. Mom, Dad, Maya, Kili... At least mail day was drawing closer.

I shook my head, slapped my temples, jumped to my feet and did a little pirouette to chase the dark thoughts away. Enough of this! I didn't come here to get myself even more depressed than I already was!

"Hey, Raccoon Boy? I've _got_ to tell you about yesterday!"

* * *

**Hi, guest reviewer Cris! Thanks for popping in! *waves* It's always nice to welcome people to the character-driven side! We have cookies! :D**

**I kinda headcanon Varian to be covered in scars, both because of stuff blowing up in his face all the time and because he's the ultimate klutz.  
Good thing cartoon character are made from titanium! XD**


	6. Stormy Weather

Let me tell you, having no glass windows _sucks._

Storm clouds had gathered overnight, which meant getting kicked out of bed in the dead of night by the guard and moving into the dining hall with my pillow, blanket and the thin mattress, seeking out my favorite spot on the floor near the counter and passing right out. My back didn't like it much, but it was better than freezing my butt off in a pitch-black room with creaking storm shutters.

Did I mention that having no glass windows sucks?

I started my day late, and by being stepped on. It was an accident, of course, since the hall was packed and there weren't enough lanterns to go around – crazy people and candles didn't mix well, and while the dining hall was, in fact, high enough for glass windows to be put under the ceiling, the light filtering through them barely counted as such because of the thick, black clouds.

Now, I didn't mind storm days. With everyone crammed into the one storm-proof room, interesting things were bound to happen. Whether these things were good or bad, that was a different kettle of fish, however, interesting-things-time tended to come towards the afternoon while mornings were generally quite boring. So I just sat there with my back against the counter, on my pillow, wrapped in my blanket and probably smelling of morning breath. Too tired to talk to anyone, but too awake to go back to sleep.

And that was the moment when I had a realization: "He called me by my name."

"Did you say something, Kai?"

The thought had hit me out of nowhere, and thus I hadn't actually been talking to anyone. The answer startled me out of my daze, and I looked up at a familiar face: "Arthur?!"

I could tell from the way his bushy mustache moved that he was smiling. "The one and only!"

I chuckled awkwardly. "Honestly, I didn't expect you here. I thought it would be Austin or Theo, or perhaps Head Nurse Maurina who would show up first."

Arthur waved it off. "Well, it's a little early for young Austin."

"True." I sighed and shook my head before looking up again. "Mind joining me in my little Kai spot? I'd like to talk to you for a second, if that's alright."

He seemed a little surprised, but he took a quick look around and nodded before planting his posterior on my mattress, next to my pillow. "What's eating you, Kai?"

"Not much. I was just wondering..." I turned away and took a deep breath. "Y'know... Yesterday. Did you notice something weird about him? Raccoon Boy, I mean."

Arthur burst into hearty laughter. "Apart from the raccoon, you mean?"

I winced and my face heated up. That wasn't what I was thinking about, but shoot no! "You noticed?"

"Indeed I did."

I buried my face in my hands with a low curse. "I'm so sorry, I know I shouldn't have left him there, but I just couldn't bring myself to–!" I cut myself off. _Wait a minute..._ I raised my head and eyed Arthur up and down. "You didn't take him away, either. Raccoon Boy thinks you didn't notice Rudiger. Why? Aren't you worried he'll try something?"

"Are you?"

That pulled me up short, but I couldn't relax. "Not really, no. But I'm not exactly the one to ask, considering I don't even know who the flying flappadoodle that guy even is! Who knows what he could do with a raccoon?"

Arthur raised an eyebrow, though he still looked amused. "Which side are you arguing for, exactly?"

I opened my mouth to respond, then realized that I didn't have any appropriate words, and closed it again. Was I _trying_ to get into trouble?

Arthur sobered, too. He leaned against the counter, apparently searching for words. Eventually, he sighed. "Before I was assigned to the ward, I was part of the town watch. I got a few chances to chat with the lad's father."

"His father?!" I burst out, then clapped my hands over my mouth. I really needed to work on that... "Sorry. Please, continue."

This time, Arthur raised both his eyebrows. "So you know something about that? That's unexpected."

I faked a dramatic sob. "Why can't I just keep my mouth shu-hu-hut?!" I took a deep breath, disguised as another overly dramatic sniff, and chose my next words carefully. "Anyway, yes, Raccoon Boy did mention something. Not much, though. Just something about his dad being..." Now, how would I finish this without revealing that I offered to get him writing stuff? "...out of action." Yeah, that should work.

Arthur removed his helmet and ran a hand through his hair. "Out of action," he repeated, and I felt my muscles coil. _Please, please, don't ask..._ But then he put his helmet back on, and I realized the gesture had been more along the lines of paying respect to a fallen comrade. "I see," Arthur said, and a wave of guilt washed over me. There were bigger things to worry about than me getting caught in a lie.

"What happened? Did he... like..."

I couldn't say it out loud, but Arthur could. "Die? Not that I know of."

I heaved a sigh of relief. "That's good. But..." I gritted my teeth. "There's a but, right?"

"I'm sorry, Kai." Arthur shook his head. "I don't know much, either. The king has declared the area a restricted zone. There are a lot of rumors flying around, each one wilder than the last, but it's impossible to separate falsehoods from truth." Arthur's eyes searched mine, and I did him the favor. He was so serious, almost pleading. "But Kai, if you managed to get this far, maybe _you_ can find out what happened."

I made a really weird noise at that. The closest I get to describing it would be 'the whimper of a kicked puppy', probably because I felt like one. Or rather, like a crushed puppy. Every time I thought I could deal with the pressure, something else came up that added to it.

I turned away and pulled my blanket higher up my shoulders, as if I could shield myself from the expectations that way. "Don't hold your breath."

A gloved hand ruffled my hair, and I couldn't help but laugh and drop the blanket so I could fix it. "Hey!"

When I looked up, there was a rueful smile on Arthur's face. "Sorry, Kai. That's probably a lot to put on you. Don't hesitate to call it quits if you need to, and for goodness' sake, don't listen to the ramblings of an old fool like me!"

"Aww, come on, you're not that old! You're like, what, forty? That's still young and dashing!"

Arthur smiled. "Forty-three."

"See? Young and dashing!"

I gave him my broadest grin, making him laugh out loud and mess up my hair all over again. "You better look out for your teeth. Wouldn't want them to decay from all that sweet-talking!"

I stuck my tongue out at him and pawed at his arm. "And you get your hands off my hair, you young and dashing swashbuckler! I don't have a comb!"

"As you wish, ma'am!"

I shook my head and fixed my hair. We both calmed a little, and I remembered that there was something I wanted to talk about. "So, uh... What about Rudiger now?"

"I suppose we'll just have to keep an eye on the little fella. It's a risk, but I agree that we'd probably do more damage taking it away than it could cause."

I should have been reassured by the support of a trained guard, but knowing that Arthur was an acquaintance of Raccoon Boy's father and perhaps, by extension, Raccoon Boy himself, I couldn't help thinking that he was what Head Nurse Maurina had called 'biased'. It left me with a sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I pulled up my knees to hug them to my chest. "Alright then. But I'll make super duper extra sure that _that raccoon_ won't be putting a single paw outside that cell!"

"Spoken like a true guard!" Arthur slapped my back (no ruffling, yay!) and the corners of my mouth twitched upwards in spite of my misgivings.

"Thanks."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Arthur asked, and I turned my head to look into his eyes.

"Tell me everything you know about Raccoon Boy's dad. You can do that much, right?"

Arthur pursed his lips, looking conflicted for a moment. My hopes flew out the window at lightning speed and I buried my face in my knees.

"You can't."

"I'm sorry, Kai. I'd love to, believe me, but it wouldn't be much anyway and I can't risk giving out hints by omission. I'm afraid you're on your own with this."

"Then tell me at least if you've met Raccoon Boy before!" I was positively _whining_ at this point. I was very well aware that I was grasping at straws and wouldn't be able to do anything with that information besides confirming what I already knew, but I was getting desperate. For _anything!_

I've waited for what seemed like hours. Hardly breathing, and not daring to raise my head. But then finally: "I did."

I jolted upright. I was _actually_ getting an answer?! "You did?"

Arthur nodded. "Adorable little bouncy ball, couldn't stop talking when something caught his fancy. And he was incredibly curious, always asking questions. 'What's this?' 'What's that?' 'Why do you do that?' 'Why can't I do that?'" Arthur chuckled. "I didn't think I'd ever see a kid who becomes _less_ bouncy when bribed with a handful of candy, and I haven't seen any since."

It was indeed quite a sweet mental image. "Bet his father couldn't stop gushing about his precious son."

"Well, he wasn't exactly the gushy type. But yes, you could tell they loved each other very much."

"That's so nice." I couldn't keep a wistful smile off my face. As heartwarming as it sounded, it got me thinking about my own dad, which was about the last thing I needed at the moment. I slapped my temples in an attempt at distracting myself and returned my attention to Arthur. "Do you think he remembers you?"

"I doubt that," Arthur stated firmly, a warning in his eyes. "And I'd like to keep it that way."

"Why?"

Arthur squeezed my shoulder and stood up. "Because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And that applies to the guard as much as to anything else, if not more so."

Right... Who knew what would happen if Raccoon Boy found out that one of the guards was somewhat sympathetic towards him? "I see. Can't have that, huh? Where are you going, though?"

Arthur grinned and gestured towards a tall, thin and definitely goatee-less figure weaving his way through the mass of people, tables and textiles pretending to be beds. "Shift change."

"Austin!" The sun rose in my heart. I leapt to my feet and hopped up and down in my nightgown, waving enthusiastically. "Over here!"

I could tell from the more purposeful movement that my friend had spotted me in the dim room, and a few seconds later, I jumped into his arms. "Hey! Long time no see!"

"Kai, we saw each other yesterday."

"I know! Long time!" I grinned. Austin flicked my forehead, but he was grinning, too.

"You know, I'll be choosing a room for myself if you keep driving me insane like that."

"Ooh, nice! I'll keep doing it, then!"

Austin rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically before turning towards Arthur and saluting. "Good morning, Sir!"

Arthur laughed. "You'll never relax, will you, Austin?"

"Just adhering to protocol, Sir!"

"Well, good morning to you, too, Private. But don't scare the ladies with that stuffiness of yours!" He winked at me and turned around, whistling as he sauntered off, probably to enjoy a beer with the rest of the graveyard shift.

I shared a look with Austin, scratched the back of my neck, and shrugged. "If it helps you any, I think Arthur is a lot weirder than you are."

"Thanks. I know you don't mean that, but thanks."

I chuckled awkwardly. "Well, we're all weird here. Guess that's the point."

Austin gave me a skeptical look. "Guess it is." He rubbed his helmet and tilted his head back a little to eye the windows, which let in slightly more light than before. "Storm day, huh?"

"Yeah..." I could hear thunder rolling somewhere in the distance, but couldn't recall any lightning flashes. Must have been quite far away. "But at least it's not going to hit us directly. I hope... I don't feel like being stuck here for the whole week."

"Neither do I, Kai." He sighed. "And here I thought I could hit Uncle Monty's today..."

"Uncle Monty's?! Oh, oh!" I exclaimed, clapping excitedly. "I need nuts! Loads and loads of nuts! And chocolate! And jelly beans! And gummi bears!"

"Shush!" Austin hissed. "You'll announce it to the whole ward!"

I froze on the spot. "Sorry," I whispered before bouncing up and down in a slightly more subtle manner. "But I really do need nuts."

"For what?"

"Umm..." I inhaled through clenched teeth, realizing I hadn't actually told Austin about my little stunt with Rudiger, and how little he was going to like it. "Yeah, about that... I was just talking to Arthur, and I think I owe you an explanation..."

* * *

The storm peaked around noon. Mealtimes were a somewhat unusual affair anyway during a storm, but sitting in one of the fixed chairs, a cheese-and-spinach roll in one hand and a set of rummy cards in the other, and giving it my all not to spread crumbs all over the plateless table while the wind howled outside, trying to rip the windows from their frames... well, I wasn't too happy. I preferred Mau-Mau, for one, but the storm was too loud to make myself heard. For another, I couldn't cuddle with Austin if I didn't want him to see my hand.

And then there was the fact that I couldn't get my mind off a certain someone who _wasn't_ here, for obvious reasons.

Now, it wasn't the first time I wondered what 'storm-proofing' means on the other side of _The Door_, but it's never been this personal. I always either forgot about asking or simply found myself unable to get the words past my lips. That part of the ward had always had this aura of the unspeakable, the scariest place on earth in the mind of a nine-year-old, then a fear turned into a habit that never crossed the the fourteen-year-old version to try and grow past.

It was kind of ridiculous, come to think of it. The people behind _The Door_ were just that – people. Now granted, they were more violent than the rest of us, but there was plenty of violence to go around in every other place. We didn't generally fight _wars_ in here. And while I couldn't deny this underlying sense of danger, I felt pretty awful for not realizing it sooner.

I'd been picked for the Raccoon Boy Mission because Head Nurse Maurina thought I could _relate_. But the truth was that I _couldn't_. If I did, I wouldn't be sitting around losing rummy game after rummy game because I was too busy pondering how _stupid_ I was.

How _fine_ I was. I was fine, because I had friends, I had games, I had all the freedoms a girl from the mental ward could possibly have. I could go into the yard and enjoy the sun or snow if I wanted. I could wander around, I could exercise, and the people here even trusted me to handle some of the medical stuff, a skill I could very much use later in life. I could write and receive letters from my family, and even see them when they traveled here.

Raccoon Boy had _none_ of these things. He was locked in chains, no access to the yard, no games to help pass the time, no family, and certainly not the trust of the people around him. The one thing he _did_ have – a friend – could be taken from him at any given time, and it wasn't even a friend he could talk to.

How the everloving _torchweed_ could I _ever_ relate to that?

Something poked my shoulder. It was Theo's finger, and I realized it was my turn. I pushed the rest of my cheese-and-spinach roll into my mouth and looked over the cards on the table, if only half-heartedly. I had no doubt there'd be questions later, which worried me even more. I was yet to ask Maurina whom I could talk to about Raccoon Boy – another item on the long list of things I forgot.

"I'm so hopeless," I mumbled, and the rain beating against the windows swallowed the words before they reached even my own ears. In a burst of despair, I pushed the rest of my cards into Austin's hands (he'd finished ages ago), strode over to my mattress and curled into a tight little ball. It was the closest anyone could get to alone time during a storm and I, secure in the knowledge that no one would disturb or hold it against me, let the tears run.

I still had a long, long way to go. But even as my shoulders shook and the sobs choked all the breath from my lungs, I knew better than ever that I couldn't stop there. No, I couldn't save everyone. It was entirely possible that one boy was already too much. But I just found out that Raccoon Boy hadn't always been like this, and if there was a chance to bring back that little ray of sunshine Arthur had described to me, and be it ever so tiny... I'd find it.

I'd find it _so hard,_ Raccoon Boy wouldn't know what hit him!

* * *

I didn't realize I'd fallen asleep until Austin woke me for dinner. The storm had calmed considerably, and people had begun to move their bedding back to their rooms or set it up around a table in the center of the hall which would serve as a stage for our traditional ghost story contest. Personally, I wasn't any good with those. Kind of ironic that someone who'd been possessed by a ghost for half her life couldn't come up with a single one of these stupid things, but I still enjoyed listening to the others – if only for that very same irony that drove us to tell ghost stories in the first place, and storms provided the perfect atmosphere.

However, I was going to pass this time. As soon as I'd put my stuff back into my room, I went looking for Head Nurse Maurina. She wasn't in her office, and I couldn't find her at dinner, either. Asking around revealed that she was working with one of her patients behind _The Door_, which was frustrating but couldn't be helped.

Austin was far from pleased when I told him I'd be going in blind then. He tried to argue that it was way too late for a visit, that I'd be tired in the morning, and I argued back that I'd slept through half the day. Then Austin whipped out the fact that the same probably didn't hold true for Raccoon Boy, which... honestly surprised me. Austin didn't seem like one to care about Raccoon Boy's sleep schedule, even if only in a somewhat backhanded way via yours truly. Well, and the other surprise was that I didn't think of that myself. Or rather, it wasn't so much a surprise as it was a slap of reality. After all, knowing was only half the battle, and no amount of crying was going to change that.

I took a deep breath. "I'll make it quick and quiet then. I just want to make sure he's okay after the storm."

"The nurses and the guards do that already."

"I'm sure they do. I still think I should show my face." I pinched the bridge of my nose. Austin had the keys, so if he didn't want me to go, he could just keep them. And while Head Nurse Maurina would probably have some words about that, I wasn't going to tattle on my best friend. Plus, maybe this was a good moment to test my new perspective skills, so I took a deep breath and looked squarely into Austin's eyes. "Why are you so bent on stopping me from going, anyway?"

"Because..." Austin sighed and rubbed his face before motioning towards the closest table. "Let's sit down for a minute."

I blinked at the table. So this was going to be a long talk, huh? "Alright then. If you insist."

As soon as we sat, Austin took a deep breath. "Look, Kai... Remember when I was assigned to the mental ward two years ago?"

I chuckled. "How could I forget? It was your first assignment and you were _so_ lost!"

"And you showed me around."

I nodded. I remembered that. Austin used to be so shy. He wanted to do everything right on his first assignment, but didn't dare asking questions for fear of looking stupid. Even my preteen self noticed that, and it turned out he was much more comfortable with asking a kid than his superiors.

But that didn't explain _anything_. "Yeah? What does that have to do with Raccoon Boy, though?"

Austin closed his eyes. Lost in memories, I figured. "You used to be so bubbly and optimistic. You'd talk about your village, your family, your friends, your dreams. You'd _always_ talk about your dreams, and what you were going to do once you're healed. You don't do that anymore. You still talk about your family, but rarely with joy. And you stopped dreaming about the future entirely."

"Not true!" I wasn't quite sure why I felt the need to defend myself, but I did. "I want to become a nurse, you know that!"

Austin looked me up and down, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Do you really? Or is it because you simply can't imagine a life outside these walls anymore?"

The question caught me off-guard. Now, I did care about the people here, and I did want to help them as best as I could. I had quite a bit of experience with mental stuff and even some medical skills. Becoming a nurse seemed like the natural thing to do.

But Austin was right. All these dreams I used to have – to go back home, to learn how to ride, to travel around by horse or ship, maybe work on a ship and hey, even fall in love on a ship and have a little seafaring family... Well, that last one was probably a pipe dream even under normal circumstances, but I loved ships so hard as a kid. When did I lose that? And could I still swim after all this time?

I didn't mean to burst out laughing. Now, I was no stranger to laughter as a coping mechanism, but in these kinds of laugh-or-cry situations, there was always this sort of push behind it. A conscious decision to laugh.

This was no laugh-or-cry situation, and there was no choice. The laughter came completely unbidden, and it _didn't stop_, either. Not until Austin leapt out of his chair and held me, one hand on my shoulder so I wouldn't hurt myself on the edge of the table, the other rubbing my back. There also were soothing words, and even though I don't recall anything besides the tone, they did help me pull it together. Eventually, I found myself stretched out on the table, face buried in my crossed arms and struggling for air.

"Kai?"

"I'm sorry, Austin." I straightened and let out a chuckle. A non-maniacal one this time. "But hey, maybe _you_ should become a nurse instead of me! You totally have a talent for it!"

I doubt Austin liked my reaction, judging from his slightly disturbed expression. "Kai, I don't..."

I shook my head. "It's okay, really. I don't think I've lost my mind quite yet, and even if I did, I'm already at the right place!"

"That's not reassuring."

"No, it's not," I admitted, heaving a sigh. "Anyway, I still don't see how any of this relates to visiting Raccoon Boy?"

Austin patted my back and sat down in his chair. "_That's_ how it relates to anything. You're obsessed with this kid." He lowered his eyes, cupping his chin in the process. "And I can see how much it hurts you. You're crying, you're breaking rules left and right, you're even going to skip the ghost story contest! That's not like you. And I guess I'm just... afraid. That he'd drag you down with him. That you'd lose yourself even more, even if he doesn't physically hurt you."

Goosebumps ran up my arms, and I caught myself tapping my nails on the table. Austin was always so dramatic, it was easy to forget how deep his thoughts could run. (Gosh, that sounds so mean.) But I appreciated the reminder.

I felt the urge to rub my arms. I was cold all of a sudden. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I _am_ a little obsessed. But you know what?" I finally found the strength to look Austin in the eyes. "I don't think of it as something unhealthy. Sure, I've been crying, and Raccoon Boy can be quite exhausting to deal with, but still... I feel like I finally have a purpose." I nodded to myself. "Yes, that's a good word. Not an obsession, a _purpose_. Do you have any idea how good that feels after years of _doing nothing?_ Of never _getting_ anywhere, just sitting around waiting for this nonsense to end? I'm not doing this because Maurina wants me to, but because _I _want to. And maybe it's selfish of me to expect you to go along with it, but honestly..." I couldn't keep a small smile from breaking out on my face. "There's no one I'd rather have by my side through all of this than you, Austin."

He looked a little shocked at first, too, but then he took off his helmet and ran a hand through his hair. "Whew... We should arrange these heart-to-hearts a little more often, don't you think?"

I giggled. My drama king was back! "Yeah, we totally should!"

"Well..." Austin placed his hands on the table and pushed himself out of the chair. "Looks like we have a purpose to fulfill."

It took me a moment to process the words, but the result was the biggest grin I had all day. I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!"

"But Kai?"

"Hmm?" I stared at Austin, a little uncertain what to expect, and he stared right back with the most serious look in his eyes. "What?"

"I swear, if you come out crying again, I _will_ kick your butt!"

And the grin was back, perhaps even broader than before. "Deal!"

* * *

***waves* Yeah, I'm still alive, and a part of me is quite amazed at this fact. Well, anyway, here you have some fanfic to (hopefully) brighten up your quarantine! With... some thoughts on lifelong quarantine? Well, let's hope we don't need to go full Rapunzel and stay inside for the next eighteen years.**

**Stay safe, everyone!**


	7. Raccoon Trouble - Take Two

This time, I took a long, hard look at the hallway behind _The Door_. It was fairly dark, so I couldn't see the end, but I did see that the cells were only on the right side. On the left there was nothing but solid wall, with the occasional slit to let in light from the other side. I barely knew anything about the castle's layout, so I had no idea what the other side _was_, but it wasn't the outside. The light was not daylight, I could tell that much. So I asked Austin about it, and he told me that they were the nurses' quarters and a break room for the guards. He also told me that the castle hadn't been built with a mental ward in mind, and this whole place was basically converted servant quarters and storerooms. A part of me felt a little offended (_storerooms_, seriously?!), but I found it to be an interesting bit of history.

We passed a guard standing outside a certain cell, which must have been the one Head Nurse Maurina was currently in. His name was Felix, if I remembered correctly, and he and Austin struck up a conversation. I used the time to wander down the corridor a little further than Raccoon Boy's cell. Not really because I expected to see anything of note, and aside from a left-hand door which I assumed to lead to the aforementioned break room and nurse quarters, there really wasn't anything. I just counted the cell doors on the way back. Seventeen in total, which seemed like an odd number, and a fairly small one, too.

Made me wonder if the ward ever ran out of space, and what happened if it did.

When I met back up with Austin, it took me a minute to realize he was trying to talk to me. "Huh?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Ah, nothing much." I shrugged. "Just about the many questions I never thought to ask."

The breath Austin heaved was so deep, I could hear it. "For example?"

I shrugged again and rubbed my eyes, suddenly way too tired for someone who just woke up. "I'm not so sure if I'm ready for the answers yet. Besides, we have bigger fish to fry." I sighed and reached out a hand. "Key, please?"

Austin seemed a little hesitant at first, but I got the key. I also found that I started to get the hang of moving that stupid, heavy cell door, but I didn't get to be too happy about it.

My breath caught as I poked my head into the cell and was greeted by an empty room.

Or, well, at least I thought so until I felt something fluffy dash past my ankle. A curse slipped off my tongue as I dragged the door shut again, not as quickly as I had hoped but without much of a choice. "Gah, Rudiger! Get back here!"

At least Austin was already on the case. When I finally got down to chasing them, a "Not again!" and a variety of words that should not be repeated on my lips, my friend had already cornered the raccoon together with Felix.

Relieved, I slowed my steps a little, only to go back into overdrive when I saw Felix stabbing at Rudiger with a spear. "No! Don't!" I screamed, and thank goodness for Austin again. I couldn't quite see what was going on yet, but I did see that he stepped in on my behalf and before I knew it, there was a weight on my shoulder, a tail wrapped around my neck and a panicked snout right next my ear.

I never thought a raccoon could be this _loud!_

Under the watchful eyes of Austin and the confused gaze of Felix, I petted Rudiger, trying to calm not only him but my heartbeat, too. "Oh, you stupid, stupid little thing. Don't scare me like that!"

"Kailyn, is that...?" Felix began, and I shook my head.

"Mine? No. I wouldn't dream of keeping a raccoon as a pet. I'm more of a regular type, you know? Like, a bunny or something... Give me a bunny any day of the week."

"Then what...?"

I really hoped we could've kept talking about bunnies, but I suppose that would've been too easy. Austin wasn't much help, either. I couldn't really blame him since he thought this was a stupid idea anyway, and at this point, I was very much inclined to agree.

Once again, I wished I wasn't such a terrible liar. It wasn't just that my conscience refused and thus people tended to see through me quite easily, I wasn't very good with coming up with stuff on the spot, either. But I couldn't very well tell the truth, right?

I sighed in defeat, and I felt Rudiger hanging onto my hair for dear life as he nearly slipped off my drooping shoulders. I couldn't look anyone in the eye, so I just stared at my slippers. "I don't know, Felix. I don't know. Just... Please, keep this to yourself. I promise to keep him out of trouble."

"Like just now?"

I gritted my teeth, mentally cursing Rudiger again for getting me into this mess. At this rate, I would have no choice but to toss him out again.

_It'll keep coming baa-ack..._ I heard Austin's voice echoing in my mind, and I had no doubt he would. Oh yes he would, and then we'd have it all over again with the disappearing keys and breaking tubes and who-knows-what.

_Wait a minute..._

I suddenly found the courage to look up again. "Felix? Do you remember that series of incidents we had a few days ago? When Robert's keys disappeared and stuff, and we all thought it was the smartest rat on the planet?" I plucked Rudiger off my shoulder and held him out. "That was actually this little guy, and he'll just have another go at making our lives miserable if we toss him out now." I placed Rudiger back on my shoulder, keeping a hand on him just in case. He was growing restless, now that the danger was over. "Wouldn't it be better if we just keep him here, where we can keep an eye on him?"

Felix did not seem convinced. "So you're saying we should keep a raccoon, that's been stealing our stuff, in the ward? Near our stuff?"

"Ah..." My face heated up and my heart leapt into my mouth. Screw this situation and everyone in it! "Well, if you put it like that... But you can't deny the incidents stopped happening, right?"

Felix brows furrowed, and I tightened my grip on Rudiger. The raccoon squeaked quietly in protest, but I took a deep breath and straightened, gathering up all my courage. "You're _not_ going to kill him, Felix. He's not some kind of pest."

"Kailyn, we need to have a talk about the definition of 'pest'." He waved dismissively. "Fine, keep your raccoon. I won't tell anyone."

I nearly had to sit down when the tension left my body all at once, but I quickly found myself beaming instead. I could've hugged this guy! "Thank you, Felix!"

"But only this once, Kailyn. If I see that bushy tail one other time..."

He left the sentence hanging, but I didn't care. I just nodded enthusiastically. "I'll take care of him, promise!"

Felix gave me a stern glance. "Well then, I need to get back to my post. And you better get your pet away before Maurina sees it."

"Yes, yes!"

I only vaguely remember Felix nodding at Austin, because I was too busy bouncing towards Raccoon Boy's cell. Only when Austin called out did I notice my mistake. "Kai! Your room is the other way!"

Thank goodness for Austin, indeed.

I froze in mid-bounce, trying to decipher what I had just heard. I knew my room was the other way, but... Oh. Oh, right. I couldn't visit Raccoon Boy now, not while Felix had his eyes on me. It would look suspicious at best, at worst he might figure out whose pet Rudiger _really_ was. Besides, the cell had been empty anyway, right?

"Oh, for the love of Shampanier's shiny shingles..." I grabbed Rudiger by the scruff of his neck and turned him around so I could look into his face. "He was behind the door, right? Well, screw that idiot! And screw you, too, while we're at it! That just took a few years off my life!"

Rudiger chirped, but did not seem particularly impressed. I heaved a deep sigh and changed my grip so I could hold him in my arms. "Well, we can't go back now, so I'm afraid you'll be spending the night with me. And you know, maybe it's for the best. At least it'll teach Raccoon Boy to let you out of his sight!"

I turned on my heel with new determination and trotted back the way I came. Austin didn't seem to be in the best of moods, but I knew he saved me there. "Thanks, Austin. Whatever would I do without you?"

A small smile appeared on Austin's face, chasing the frown away. "Probably blunder around like a blind rhino."

I didn't have it in me to take offense. Instead, I just laughed. "Probably, yeah." I shook my head. "You know, I don't really feel good asking anything of you right now, but can I borrow your helmet? I need to hide Rudiger somewhere and he's too big for my tunic."

Austin curled his lips, but he reluctantly pulled off his helmet. "Well, on the plus side... It never gets boring with you, huh?"

That... really didn't help my conscience at all. "I guess..." I plopped Rudiger into the offered helmet and took it into my arms, staring down at the raccoon. "Okay Rudiger, listen up! If you have any sense in that adorable little head of yours, you _stay_ in there until we reach my room, and you'll stay in _there_, too! Understood?"

Rudiger nodded, much to my astonishment.

I tried not to let it show. "Fine!" I declared for good measure and put the helmet under my arm to discourage any curious looks. Then I proceeded to stalk off, a chuckling Austin on my heels.

"You know, Kai, I don't believe I've ever seen you so... severe."

"Well, now you know! I can be very severe if I want to!"

Austin chuckled even louder before appearing next to me and matching my rapidly decreasing pace. I'd had enough for one evening. "Actually, now that I think about it, being severe is very exhausting."

"I know, right?" Austin laughed and ruffled my hair. I didn't say anything about it. When he did it, it was okay. "Hey, Kai?"

"Hmm?"

"I just thought... Well, maybe this arrangement isn't so bad after all."

I looked up at his sincere expression, then at my slippers. A part of me was happy, but with a raccoon under my arm, in a helmet that was unmistakeably Austin's and recalling the strain our relationship had been under the last couple days, I found I couldn't really share the sentiment.

"Yeah, here's a funny thing... I just thought maybe it is."

* * *

There's a lot of things I could say about taking care of a raccoon, but for now I'll just go with 'it made my respect for Raccoon Boy grow exponentially' and the fact that I gave up after about ten minutes. Herding cats would've been easier.

Since I wasn't going to sleep any time soon, I simply sat on my cot and watched Rudiger explore my room to his heart's content. I doubted it was particularly interesting, but probably still more interesting than Raccoon Boy's cell was, if only by virtue of being less bare. The more I watched, however, the more I started to have... concerns.

Rudiger got _everywhere_. I should have noticed already back when he climbed from the floor up to my shoulders in a matter of seconds, with only a tunic and a pair of three quarter pants to go on. It seemed like only stone was able to stop him – he certainly had no trouble with wooden beams. Add the strength to carry small things, and it made him every jailbreaker's dream.

In a bout of frustration, I stretched out on my cot for a mini tantrum, complete with groaning and tearing hair. "Gosh, I hate everything right now!"

A few seconds after that, a warm and soft weight settled on my chest, and I lifted my head to glare at Rudiger. "Yes, you too! You are awful!"

Rudiger chirped questioningly. I sighed and crossed my arms behind my head to stare at the ceiling. "I don't know what's going on, Rudiger. I guess I'm growing paranoid. Why won't anyone just _tell me_ who he is?! Then at least I can find the right degree of paranoia!"

Rudiger chirped again and curled up on my chest. If anyone were to come in right now, he'd be in plain sight, but I couldn't find the strength to care as much as I should. Instead, I scratched his head. "You know, I feel a little bad for Raccoon Boy, considering how _I'm_ the one talking to you right now, and he does seem like the chatty type. He probably misses you a lot. I mean, he _could_ just talk to anyone besides you and me, but since he refuses to do so, well..." I sighed again. I was doing a lot of that lately. "I wonder what it is. Why won't he accept any help? Could be related to who he is, but that's just going in circles. I don't suppose you would tell me? Or maybe you agree with everyone else and think I shouldn't know because it would just get in the way?" And there it was again – the frustration. Everything that kept me from getting up and pacing the room was the reluctance to disturb Rudiger. "It doesn't matter anyway. Even if you want to tell me, it's not like I can understand you."

There was no response from Rudiger, and I figured he fell asleep. I chuckled bitterly and gently lifted him off my chest so I could sit up. "Guess I'm just that boring after all, huh?" Still no reaction, so I placed Rudiger on the mattress next to me and covered him with the blanket. The sun had set by now and I had some hopes that anyone who happened to come in would mistake the little bump for a pillow.

I'd long since outgrown the window ledge, but I've learned to balance on it fine by resting my shoulder against the grate. I was a very pretty grate, a light blue one with flower ornaments and stuff. The kind of grate you'd use on your cottage to keep thieves out. But it was a grate nonetheless, and the flowers and the peeling paint couldn't hide the fact.

_I wanna be a raccoon, too..._

* * *

The next morning found me rather worn out, and not just because raccoons apparently grow in size once they're in a bed and leave human occupants with no space whatsoever. But I didn't want to worry Austin again, so I lugged my protesting limbs off the warm, soft, cozy, inviting and just overall high-gravity mattress and out into the cold, harsh world of the awakened. Rudiger was still asleep (lucky bastard!), and remained blissfully so while I dunked my face into the wash basin. Since today was my floor's turn for laundry, I soaked the hem of my nightgown and abused it as a wash rag, and while I freshened up, an idea hit me that made me forget my tiredness completely. Smirking, I walked back to my cot, rolled up my non-existent sleeves, and picked up the sleeping raccoon.

There'd probably be bloody murder. But everyone needs a bath every now and then, right?

It probably would've been easier to just drop Rudiger into the basin, but that seemed like something only a monster would do, so I woke him up. He wasn't very happy about it (and who can blame him?), but surprisingly enough, there was no struggling and no bloody murder when he saw the wash basin. He actually seemed to enjoy the bath.

So raccoons liked water. Who knew? (Probably everyone but me, but whatever.)

I didn't even have soap, but the water still turned an unsavory brownish gray color. I wrinkled my nose at the thought of having spent the night with that walking pile of dirt, then shrugged philosophically. What was done was done. But I better avoided being around when a nurse came to change the water. Else, there would be _questions_.

"You're really getting around, huh, Rudiger?" I remarked while raking my fingers through the raccoon's coat. "Bet you'd have a lot of fantastic tales to tell about your quest for Raccoon Boy. Gotta be honest, I'm a little jealous."

Rudiger chirped.

"Yeah, maybe not of that whole nearly-getting-stabbed-to-death thing. That probably wasn't a lot of fun."

Rudiger didn't grace that with an answer, but he did turn around for belly washing. I suddenly felt exploited. "So now I'm just a brush to you, ain't I?" Still no response. I snorted, but I couldn't stay mad. "Yeah, yeah, you're right, it was my idea. But can't you at least _pretend_ to be grateful?"

I pulled Rudiger from the water, which was when the bloody murder started after all. Rudiger squeaked in protest and thrashed around, trying to get back into the basin. But I got my new-found severity on and dropped him onto the table, where I could rub him down with my nightgown.

"Come on, Rudiger! Don't be like that! I'll ask Raccoon Boy to give you a bath whenever his water is due to get changed, okay?"

That placated Rudiger somewhat, and I could finish drying him without further interruptions. He looked very funny all toweled off, with his fur sticking up every which way and a vaguely offended expression on his striped face.

I couldn't keep from snickering, but eventually took pity on him and smoothed out his coat. "There, all good! But now I really need to get down to breakfast, or Austin's gonna have my head. But I'll sneak you an apple, so you stay here and lay low, okay?"

Rudiger chittered his confirmation and scampered off while I took a deep breath. I could only hope that the raccoon knew what was at stake here and acted accordingly, and that worried me. A lot. But when I put a hand on the door handle and turned around one last time, Rudiger was nowhere to be seen. So at least I could be certain he understood the need to hide.

"Alright then. Here goes nothing..."

* * *

**That... just got a lot more Rudiger-centric than intended. Oh well, no regrets! Rudiger deserves all the love! ^-^**


	8. Something Wrong, Something Right

Rudiger was inside the cell long before I was. He squeezed through the crack as soon as I pushed open the door, while I decided to take my time and give them a moment. But eventually, I was inside too, leaning against the door and watching in silence.

I couldn't get a read on Raccoon Boy. Not at all. He just sat there, slumped over and face blank. His hands lay in his lap, but in a slightly upturned position that showed that the only thing keeping them in place were the shackles. He didn't even _attempt_ to pet Rudiger, who was sitting on his shoulder and pawing at his cheek in a comforting manner.

The sight was like a knife to the heart. Plans to have words about loose raccoons flew right out the window and were replaced by anxiety.

I took a deep breath to fight down the uneasiness and sat next to Raccoon Boy. It felt wrong to disturb the silence, so I hoped that perhaps my presence was enough to snap him out of whatever state he was in.

It wasn't. Rudiger chittered forlornly, breaking the silence and motivating me to give it a try, too. "Hey."

Nothing. Before I could change my mind, I tucked in my legs and shifted until I could pull Raccoon Boy into a hug without straining either of us. I expected to remain like that for a while. "Hey. What's wrong?"

A shudder ran through Raccoon Boy, and I nearly let go when a "Why won't it work?" made me reverse action and tighten my grip instead. I couldn't make heads or tails of that string of words, but I did know that even though it wasn't specifically me, he was responding to _something_. "Why won't it work?"

"What are you talking about?" I whispered helplessly, not sure if he could even hear me but completely lost on what else to do. "What isn't working?"

But that was as far as it got. The next sound that filled the room was a quiet sob, and from there it was only a matter of time before Raccoon Boy broke down into a crying, quivering ball of misery.

I held him through it, rubbing his back and whispering soothing words which didn't make a lot of sense, but were better than nothing. I had no idea what I was doing at this point, so I just went with what I felt was best until the sobs finally died down and Raccoon Boy pulled away. He looked disheveled and weary to the bone, but when he wiped his eyes, they were gleaming. Whatever it was he expected me to do, he was ready for it.

Of course that didn't mean I had any idea what he expected me to do. Or what _I_ expected me to do, for that matter. Suddenly, I was very acutely aware of a wet patch on my tunic, and it was pretty cold. "Do you..." My voice faltered, so I took a deep breath and tried again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Raccoon Boy's eyes narrowed and he turned away, relaxing just enough to push himself against the wall. Rudiger, who'd remained on his shoulders during the whole breakdown, now slipped into his lap.

"Raccoon Boy, what–"

"It's Va–" He cut himself off and burst into bitter laughter. Rudiger jumped and squeaked in alarm, a sentiment I fully shared. The sound barely qualified as loud, but it still hurt my ears. The best thing I can say about it is that Raccoon Boy snapped out of it pretty quickly and busied himself with calming Rudiger, so at least it didn't last. "Look at me, still craving friendship after everything that happened."

"You were going to tell me your name." I gritted my teeth. Before I knew it, I found myself staring at my knees, fingers curled into fists around the hem of my tunic. "I'm so sick of not knowing who you are. What makes you so sure I'd turn my back on you? What makes you so sure I've even _heard_ of you?"

"You have."

"How?!" I demanded, my head snapping up to fixate Raccoon Boy. "I've been here forever, cut off from the outside world almost completely. So _how?!_"

"It's the castle," Raccoon Boy replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "There are people everywhere. People talk. As for the first question, I know you'll turn your back on me because everyone else did."

"Rudiger didn't," I pointed out, but Raccoon Boy only snorted at the objection.

"Is that so?" he scoffed and glared down at Rudiger, confusing me to no end. "Well, _someone_ must have thrown a wrench in it, and I know who _didn't_ do it."

My breath hitched. Suddenly, I very much feared for Rudiger's safety, but the raccoon stayed where he was. He was completely and utterly untroubled, and after a few rapid heartbeats during which Raccoon Boy failed to show any signs of ill will towards his pet/friend/whatever-the-heck's-going-on-here, I relaxed, too. "Alright, you win. I won't ask."

Raccoon Boy eyed me skeptically. "Shouldn't this be the point where any sane person would run?"

I placed my hands on my hips. I couldn't deny the logic, but I was on a mission here and I was actually _getting somewhere_ for once. "Dude, you're in the mental ward. It is not, by design, a place with sane people."

Raccoon Boy rolled his eyes. "Guess I walked right into that one."

"Look..." I turned around and slid into the spot next to Raccoon Boy. "I get that you don't particularly want me here at the moment. You just had a meltdown and... yeah, I'd be upset, too. But I learned that that's the time when I need my friends the most. If there's no one around to bounce your thoughts off of, or at least offer some distraction, you sort of... get stuck in your head, if you know what I mean. And that's where the trouble really starts."

"Yeah, no kidding," Raccoon Boy deadpanned, making me shake my head. I waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"You can talk to me, you know?"

"And then what? You'll run off and have another one of your talking before thinking moments?"

That response had me stumped for a minute. I couldn't exactly deny it, and not only because that wasn't an entirely unlikely scenario. There also were Head Nurse Maurina and Arthur to consider. But still, whooo boy... "Oof. You're not pulling any punches, that's for sure."

"Did you expect me to?"

I hummed noncommittally. I didn't really, but a girl could still dream, right? "Anyway, that's not why I'm here. I actually wanted to talk about yesterday. What _was_ that? Are you _trying_ to get Rudiger killed?"

Rudiger got up and chirped upon hearing his name. Raccoon Boy, on the other hand, went stiff as a board. "None of your business."

I gritted my teeth, biting back a hiss. "Yes, it _is_ my business. Because I smuggled him in here, and I'm running out of excuses!" I pinched the bridge of my nose at the memory of my little dispute with Felix. "You have _no_ idea what pains I take just to keep Rudiger alive! And if he gets seen again–" My anger evaporated at the thought, and I couldn't finish the sentence. Instead, I petted Rudiger reassuringly. "Just... Don't let him out of your sight, okay?"

When I was deprived of an answer again (not unexpectedly, granted), I looked up to see if I got something from Raccoon Boy's expression at least, but no chance. He wasn't looking at me, and the anger was back with a vengeance.

"You know what?! I've had it!" I snapped and stood up from the cot. It actually got me Raccoon Boy's attention, and I planted myself in front of him to look him dead in the eyes. "So you don't want to talk about yourself. Fine, I don't care. But this isn't _about you! _Rudiger could be stuck on the sharp end of a spear right now! Does that even _matter_ to you?!"

"Get off me!"

I didn't actually feel the impact at first. One moment I was ranting, and the next I was stumbling backwards. A few seconds of confusion later, I'd regained my balance and the smarting sensation in my shoulders was already fading. It was also the moment when I realized that I had leaned forward in my rage and gotten into Raccoon Boy's face quite literally.

I hated it when my brain switched off like that, and not only because these were the moments when the voice came. A part of me wanted to apologize, but I figured it would be better to hold off on that until I got a fricking _answer._

So I crossed my arms and waited. Raccoon Boy seemed pretty shaken, while Rudiger looked back and forth between us like he couldn't quite decide whom to give a good critter-cussing out first.

He eventually settled on me, making me huff and squat down to glare at him. "Oh, don't you dare taking his side in this! Do you _want_ to end as a raccoon kebab?!"

"That sounds really horrible."

My brows knitted. I straightened and eyed Raccoon Boy suspiciously. "The situation or the taste?"

Raccoon Boy huffed. "Both."

Well, that was a start, at least. I sighed and walked over to the window to sit myself down on the narrow ledge. The cot suddenly felt a little too close for comfort.

Raccoon Boy stared at me with something that, under different circumstances, might have been awe. It made me pull a face. "What? I have a lot of practice!"

I didn't wait to see his reaction. I hooked an arm around the bars, remembering too late that the view wasn't exactly beneficial to my mental state.

Not that there was much room for worsening. As I watched the people milling about below, enjoying the light drizzle that was the last trace of the storm, a certain numbness wormed its way in, turning my brain into wool and leaving my eyes unfocused. I retreated deep into my mind, where a young Kailyn jumped into puddles, got into mud fights, and skipped chores to go rainbow-hunting.

Something hit my shoulder blades. A squeak escaped me and I turned my head to stare at Raccoon Boy, blinking the water from my eyes. He was still sitting on the cot, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed and arms wrapped loosely around his knees. The only indicator that something out of the ordinary had just occurred was Rudiger's puzzled chirping.

I lowered my gaze to the ground, where the answer lay. It took the shape of a faded pillow. "Umm..."

"One meltdown is enough for today, don't you think?"

I wiped my eyes with my free arm, humming noncommittally. I wasn't entirely sure if I was even emotionally capable of a meltdown at the moment, seeing how I felt more empty than anything. But who's to say, right? Wouldn't have been the first time.

"Thanks. I guess..."

I unhooked my arm and quietly slipped off the window ledge. Raccoon Boy still had his eyes closed, so he didn't even twitch when I picked up the pillow and hoisted it over my head. No matter the intention, no one tossed a pillow at me and got away with it!

Raccoon Boy sputtered and doubled up when the pillow hit home, straight into the V between his thighs and chest. I couldn't keep from dissolving into giggles and punched the air. "Stri-mmph!"

"Hah! Right in the kisser!"

Oh, it was _so_ on now! While I struggled to catch the pillow, my vision darkened very suddenly. The pillow hit the ground with a dull thud, and I lifted the blanket away from my face to grin at Raccoon Boy. "Hey, it's not Halloween yet! Besides..." I bunched the blanket into a neat little package while Raccoon Boy was already preparing to catch. "A ghost _really_ wouldn't be my costume of choice!"

The dive for the pillow I combined with a dodge. A pillow fight was about the last thing I had expected walking in, but I didn't complain. Granted, the cell was tiny and Raccoon Boy at a huge disadvantage (though Rudiger happily compensated), but _dang_ was it fun!

It was also the first time I heard Raccoon Boy laugh – not the kind of dark chuckles or bitter huffs that were more schadenfreude and coping mechanisms than anything, but real, sincere laughter that chased the tension from his muscles and the ice from his eyes. A small collection of moments when I got a glimpse of what the princess might have seen in him. What the notoriously distrustful daughter of the Captain might have seen in him.

And I liked it. I liked it very much. So when I finally sank to the floor, sweaty and out of breath but very happy with myself, I felt no need to pursue the raccoon topic any further. "Whew, I'm so done!"

"Really? I was just getting started!"

"Oh, save it. I can see you heaving, too."

"I'm not sprawled on the floor."

"Yes, because–" I bit my tongue. _Because you can't._ "Aaaaanyway..." I sat up and ran a hand through my hair to buy some time. I needed a new subject, and I needed it _now!_ "Man, could I use a bath! By the way, I gave Rudiger a bath too; he really loved it!"

Raccoon Boy's jaw tensed at the mention, and I waved my arms frantically. "Oh nonono, I don't mean it like that! It was really just an observation, because I'm sure he'd love it if you give him one, too!" I dropped back to the ground, face on fire and tearing my hair out. I wished a hole would open under me and swallow me up. "Oh, for the love of everything right and good, why? _Why_ do I have to be like this?!"

"Wow... Didn't you say one of your _friends_ was dramatic?"

That snapped me out of it. "You remember that?!" Oof... That meant I had to be really, really careful with my words. Which was just _terrific_, because I was so good at that!

I took a deep breath and sat up. "Yeah, anyway, sorry about that. I'm not usually like this. I think..." I chuckled awkwardly. "At least I don't usually deal with people who won't even tell me their names. It's all so hit-and-miss with you, so I really have no idea what the heck I'm even doing."

"And yet you're trying so hard."

It wasn't a question for once. Not a _Then why are you trying so hard?_ meant to push me away. It was quite the surprise, but by no means an unpleasant one.

I stood and patted off my tunic, finally feeling like I could face Raccoon Boy again. "I'm sorry about earlier, by the way. I don't usually fly off the handle like that, either."

Raccoon Boy shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I probably would've reacted the same way."

"But you didn't," I pointed out, folding my arms. "It's not like we're in different boats with this particular issue."

"I just wanted to be left alone." The chains seemed to be rattling louder than ever as Raccoon Boy changed his posture, crossing his legs instead of pulling them up. It made him look considerably less like misery incarnate and more like a human being. "Kai was it, right? Did you really mean it when you said you don't care about my reasons?"

"Well, I do care, of course." I sighed and placed my hands on my hips. "But if you don't want to talk about them, I won't push. Besides, I happily admit that I'm a little scared to think about it too hard myself. I don't know if you sent Rudiger on purpose or if he ran off on his own, but nothing came of it either way. So as long as it doesn't happen again, I don't see any need to ask beside my own curiosity, which I can set aside. I have a lot of practice with that anyway."

Raccoon Boy raised a brow and hummed thoughtfully. "I'm not sure if that's impressive, or just impressively stupid."

"Aaaand here we go again." I rolled my eyes. "I don't see what's so dumb about it, unless you missed the 'not happening again' part. Or are there any other safety concerns you'd like to tell me about?"

Raccoon Boy pulled a face and looked away. "Yeeeeah, never mind."

I couldn't really stay mad after that, so I chuckled instead. "Looks like we're truly a foot-match made in mouth."

"You sound way too thrilled about that."

"So what?" I grinned and planted my butt on the cot again. "There's gotta be _something_, right? At least it's common ground!"

Raccoon Boy grumbled something unintelligible. I ignored it and leaned back on my hands, which brought me into a position slightly behind him. When I saw his back, a memory struck me like thunder and I leapt to my feet. "How's your back?! Gosh, I should've thought of it sooner! The strain of our pillow fight–"

"Wasn't so bad, or I would've said something," Raccoon Boy cut in, rubbing his temples. "Stop _worrying_ about everything!"

I curled my lips into a pout and muttered "Let me worry, for goodness' sake..." under my breath, then sat down again. "You'll tell me if something is wrong, okay?"

"Only if you keep your grabby fingers off me."

"What, want me to ask Rudiger to do a check-up instead? That's not how it works."

"Argh!" Now it was Raccoon Boy's turn to tear his hair out. "I swear, we might just kill each other yet!"

Mature girl that I was, I responded by blowing a raspberry. Total underappreciation here! "Suit yourself, then!"

"Yes! Thank you!"

We lapsed into silence after that, during which I went on a lookout for a certain unmedical raccoon. "Where _is_ Rudiger, by the way?"

"Probably sulking somewhere. I mean, I'd be fed up with us, too."

"True... But at least the door is closed this time around."

"Speaking of time..." Raccoon Boy hauled himself to his feet and shuffled over to the window. It took a moment, but I could see him glaring daggers from the side. "I hate this weather."

"Huh?" I got up and joined Raccoon Boy at the window, hoping to relieve my confusion. "What's the weather to do with anything?"

"Well, with these massive clouds covering the sun, there are no shadows, and visibility is really bad because of the rain..." Raccoon Boy explained before pointing in a vaguely south-west direction. "There's a clock tower over there. You don't happen to recognize what it says, do you?"

I tried my best, but to no avail. Raccoon Boy was right, the view was terrible in the distance. "Nope, sorry." I tore my gaze away from the blurry mass of houses and spun around, arms crossed. "Can't even find the clock tower you're talking about."

"Right... No townscapes for you."

I turned my head to raise a brow at Raccoon Boy. "Why is it so important, anyway? I mean, I came in at around nine. There's no way it's lunchtime already."

"Not lunch, the mid-morning rounds." He tensed up like a bowstring and looked around. Now that the thought was out, it seemed to make him pretty nervous. "Rudiger! Where are you?"

Before I even had time to process everything, it chittered somewhere and Rudiger appeared at our feet. He didn't stay there for long, and a few seconds later, we got an impressive telling-off from the grand stage that was Raccoon Boy's shoulder.

And I had no idea how to respond to that. I shared a look with Raccoon Boy, who shrugged. It was so inspiring that I shrugged, too.

"Yeeeeah..." I awkwardly began. "We'll try not to strangle each other in the future. Happy now?"

Rudiger placed his paws on his hips and gave me a stern look, and I couldn't help snickering. He was being _very_ severe.

Raccoon Boy turned towards Rudiger with a perplexed expression, evidently trying to find out what was so funny. Then he shrugged again. "Yeah, not strangling each other sounds like a good game plan. Anyhow..." He turned back at me, determination in his eyes. "You should go now."

I closed my eyes and sighed. I didn't want to leave. Not now, when we finally had a breakthrough. But getting seen? Not a good idea. I couldn't really keep up the 'stolen key' pretense after that, and then we'd be back to suspicion and possibly betrayal.

And wasn't it a betrayal, in a way? It was so easy to forget about Head Nurse Maurina when it was just him and me, and Rudiger. But I wasn't actually here as a friend, but rather as a means to extract information that no one else could get.

I was a... a spy, basically. And it wasn't like I hadn't _known_ that – I simply hadn't thought it through.

The realization didn't sit well with me at all, but I was in too deep to change it now. After hearing everything I've heard, I was pretty sure a blow like this would _destroy_ the boy in front of me.

"You're right," I muttered, examining my toes. "I should go."

"Kai?"

I gritted my teeth. Of course my sudden change in demeanor wouldn't escape Raccoon Boy, so I pulled myself together and looked up, forcing a smile. "Ah, sorry. I just wish we would've met under different circumstances is all."

A noncommittal hum was the only response I got, but I didn't really mind. Saved me the hassle of trying to explain myself without explaining anything. I couldn't really imagine a way in which that _wouldn't_ go all kinds of wrong, even if I wasn't a terrible actress. And, well... call me selfish, but I didn't want to lose him.

Without thinking, I took a step forward and wrapped my arms around Raccoon Boy's shoulders. He went completely rigid, but I utterly failed to register it until a "Umm, Kai? I thought we agreed not to do any grabbing" combined with a gentle push snapped me out of it and I hastily jumped away.

"Oh, right. No grabbing, no hugging. Got it!"

Raccoon Boy raised a brow, and I realized I wasn't really helping my case by acting like a headless chicken. I heaved a deep breath and pinched the bridge of my nose until I felt like I could pass for a sane person again. "Really, I'm sorry. I got a little carried away there. Won't happen again."

"Yeah, that's great and all, but please, for goodness' sake!" Pretty sure Raccoon Boy tried to wave his arms, but all he got out of the motion was a hiss when the shackles yanked at his wrists. I flinched in sympathy, but Raccoon Boy continued like nothing had happened. "Save it and get out of here before something _else_ comes up!"

"Alright, alright!" The panic was starting to affect me as well, but I still managed a pointed look at Rudiger before I dashed for the door and fumbled with it. I never locked it while I was inside, which was probably a violation of every safety procedure in existence and Austin would kill me if he found out, but it saved me the trouble of revealing where I kept the key. And also time if I ever felt the need to get out fast.

Like now. And when I saw Austin's face, I was quite glad that Raccoon Boy had practically shoved me out. The instant the door was locked, he dragged me off to where Head Nurse Maurina and Felix were waiting. I didn't even get enough breathing room to process it all.

"What the... What's going on?!"

"That was a close call, Kai!" Austin said, relief coloring his voice. "I thought you'd never come out!"

I crossed my arms and stood up a little straighter to regain some control of the situation. "So Raccoon Boy remembered the mid-morning rounds just in time, huh?"

"Which should have been my job to warn you about," Head Nurse Maurina cut in. "We're very lucky indeed. I can't skip him for you."

I curled my lips and snorted. "You make it sound like it's my fault I had no idea I was on a schedule."

Head Nurse Maurina pushed her glasses higher up her nose. "That was not my intention." She looked me up and down, studying me very closely until I eventually started shifting uncomfortably. "You seem a little ruffled. Did you have a fight?"

Of course that brought Austin back into the scene before I could even open my mouth. He jumped in front of me and took me by the shoulders for an inspection of his own. "Are you okay, Kai?!"

"It was a pillow fight, Austin! A _pillow_ fight! And it was really fun, so you can relax now!"

He heaved a sigh of relief and let go of my shoulders, and I used my new-found mobility to smooth out my clothes. They did catch a few wrinkles along the way. "Anyway, is this the right place to talk about this stuff? I thought that's what the parlors are for."

"Yes. Normally, you'd be right," Head Nurse Maurina explained. "But after Private Austin voiced some concerns about your mental state after your visits, I felt it would be prudent to check on you directly."

I sent a very offended look Austin's way. "I'm fine, thank you," I declared very pointedly, but Austin just grinned innocently and raised his hands.

Before I could decide whether I should say anything more and what, Head Nurse Maurina spoke up again, "Is there anything you'd like to share right now?"

I crossed my arms. I sure did, but I had enough sense not to say anything about my latest... _conflict_. I'd be off the mission in a heartbeat. But I still hummed uncertainly and glanced at the cell door, trying to figure out something to talk about.

I picked my next words very carefully: "Well, I _am_ starting to get an idea why he won't talk. And if I'm anything close to right, you might as well just give it up now."

* * *

**I don't know why this chapter feels so long... As far as the word count is concerned, it's actually fairly average. I guess it's because a lot is happening in it. Also, it's probably just me anyway, because I just spent a whole damn _week_ writing and re-writing that monstrosity! And watching a lot of Tangled. For uh... _research_ purposes, of course, not because I'm a New Dream fangirl or anything... That's crazy talk.**

**Anyway, I just _love_ how Rudiger single-handedly (pawedly?) saves the day in the season one finale. Varian's plan would've succeeded without him. Or, well, at least successfully failed. There should be a Rudiger Appreciation Club or something... Maybe even a Rüdiger Appreciation Club! Because there's a very confused German over here still trying to figure out why the Disney people would pick a name with an _umlaut _in it. (And I don't mean that in a 'Hur dur, I'm so much better than you because I know umlauts!' kind of way. I genuinely cannot make sense of the thought process here...)**

**Fun fact, there's this children's story about a vampire kid called Rüdiger von Schlotterstein who befriends a human boy because he doesn't like being alone in the dark. Cute premise, but I can't get the opening of the audio tapes out of my head... Wish I had drawing skills, though. I'm sure Rudiger would look adorable in a vampire costume!  
**


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